Christmas in Kabul

Christmas in Kabul.
American soldiers stationed at Bagram Airbase attend a Christmas service at the Enduring Faith chapel. The service comes at the end of a year in which 412 American soldiers have died in the war.
There was no holiday from violence in the war-torn country with a suicide bomber killing at least 20 people in the north.
For some of the soldiers holidays without family can be tough.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S SOLDIER IN BAGRAM AIRBASE, JOSEPH CAMERON, SAYING:
"It is very difficult. Media nowadays allows us a lot of connections back to our families and I've been able to share. Last night and this evening I will get to share with my family over the Internet."
Other says attending a chiurch service brings them closer to home.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S SOLDIER IN BAGRAM AIRBASE, FILIBERTO FERNANDEZ, SAYING:
"Christmas mass, as a matter of fact I do it back home with my children and my family and this brings me closer to them doing the service here as well."
Soldiers also enjoyed a holiday meal.
There are about 100,000 American troops in Afghanistan with some 23,000 expected to leave by next summer.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters