The State Department has identified the two security officers who died on 11 September in Benghazi while helping to protect their colleagues.

In a 13 September statement, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tyrone S. Woods and Glen A. Doherty were “decorated military veterans who served our country with honour and distinction”.

The attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi also killed US Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and Foreign Service information management officer Sean Smith, and wounded three other Americans who are recovering at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre in Germany.

The State Department previously identified Stevens and Smith.

On 12 September, President Barack Obama issued a proclamation ordering US flags to fly at half-staff until sunset on 16 September in honour of Stevens, Smith, Woods and Dougherty.

Obama, Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta took part in a dignified transfer of the remains of the four Americans during a ceremony at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

“Our thoughts, prayers and deepest gratitude are with their families and friends. Our embassies could not carry on our critical work around the world without the service and sacrifice of brave people like Tyrone and Glen,” Clinton said in the statement.