Discussion of Russian bounties thrusts deaths of three Marines into spotlight

With a burst of light and dust, an armored vehicle carrying ­Marines outside a major U.S. air base in Afghanistan erupted into flames, killing three men inside and plunging their unit into ­chaos.

The April 2019 car bombing about a mile from Bagram air base had the hallmark of a coordinated ambush, said two defense officials familiar with the details. A sedan packed with explosives blew up as the Marines rolled alongside of it, mangling their mine-resistant vehicle.

The Taliban released a photo of the explosion afterward, asserting responsibility for it and saying that “multiple invaders” were killed and wounded.

Read the full story and more in The Washington Post.