Tributes paid to US Navy sailor killed in Kabul attack: ‘He was helping to save lives’

US Navy sailor Max Soviak was from northeast Ohio

A US Navy hospital corpsman from northeast Ohio has been identified as one of the 13 US service members killed in an attack by the Isis-K terror organisation outside Kabul airport in Afghanistan. The attack left 13 Americans and at least 90 Afghans dead.

Max Soviak was a US Navy hospital corpsman, who often deploy alongside Marines as medics. Ten service members killed were US Marines and two others were US Soldiers.

US Navy hospital corpsman Max Soviak

(US Navy)

Edison School District near Sandusky, Ohio, issued a statement announcing Mr Soviak's death. He graduated from the district in 2017.

Marilyn Soviak, his sister, posted a memorial message on Instagram.

"I’ve never been one for politics and I’m not going to start now. What I will say is that my beautiful, intelligent, beat-to-the-sound of his own drum, annoying, charming baby brother was killed yesterday helping to save lives," she wrote. “He was a f****** medic. There to help people. and now he is gone and my family will never be the same. There is a large Maxton sized hole that will never be filled.”

She lamented that her brother was “just a kid” and that “we are sending kids over there to die.”

Mr Soviak's school district remembers him as "full of life in everything he did," and noted that he was "well respected and liked by everyone who knew him."

The district said that Mr Soviak had participated in the football, wrestling, tennis and track teams during his schooling, and that he also played in the band.

A fundraising acount has been set up for his family, who have asked for privacy during their time of mourning.

On Thursday, two suicide bombers detonated their devices at the Kabul airport while gunmen open fired on crowds of Afghans trying to gain entry to the airport.

In the hours after the attacks, Joe Biden addressed the nation and vowed to hunt down the perpetrators of the attack.

A group called Isis-Khorasan took responsibility for the attack, though it did not provide concrete evidence. Though the group is relatively new – having formed in 2015 – it is already responsible for killing thousands of people.

"To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay," Mr Biden said. "Our mission will go on. America will not be intimidated."

Mr Biden has reportedly instructed the military to begin planning to strike at Isis-K.

The Taliban, which also lost fighters in the attack, similarly condemned the violence, saying they will "take every step to bring the culprits to justice."