Friends and family are mourning the death of U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Kareem Mae’Lee Grant Nikoui, a California native who was one of 13 American service members killed Thursday in an explosion in Afghanistan.

In a statement, the city of Norco said Nikoui graduated from Norco High School in 2019 after joining JROTC, and then became a Marine. Norco is about 30 miles south of San Bernardino and about 50 miles southeast of Los Angles. City officials in a statement said Nikoui’s name will be engraved on the “Lest We Forget Wall” at the George A. Ingalls Veterans Memorial Plaza.

“The City of Norco respectfully salutes the service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice in Kabul, Afghanistan, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families during this difficult time,” the statement said, adding that Nikoui “was committed to serving his country and is survived by his mother, father and siblings.”

Smoke rises from explosion outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. The explosion went off outside Kabul’s airport, where thousands of people have flocked as they try to flee the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

The U.S. military has not yet formally identified Nikoui, 20,  as one of the 13 killed, but his father told the Daily Beast that he had been stationed at Camp Pendleton, and often came home for the weekends with other Marines. Nikoui’s family did not return requests for comment from USA TODAY.

Steve Nikoui told The Daily Beast that he is upset with President Joe Biden right now, and is trying to “respect the office,” although he supported Trump.

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