President Biden has vowed revenge for the tragic deaths and injuries.
A pair of deadly suicide bombings from the terrorist organization ISIS-K rocked Kabul’s airport in Afghanistan on Thursday amid ongoing evacuations. Here’s what we know.
Where did the bombs detonate?
Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of the United States Central Command, said suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds at the Abbey Gate entrance to the airport and at the nearby Baron Hotel. Western nations had warned of an Islamic State threat, but many Afghans and American citizens are still trying to escape Taliban rule before the U.S. officially withdraws on August 31.
Who are the victims?
Thirteen U.S. service members were killed and 18 others were injured. More than 90 Afghans have been reported dead, and at least 150 were injured, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health told CNN. One Afghan interpreter tragically described trying to save a baby girl before she died in his hands.
What did President Biden say?
Biden has already vowed retaliation for the attacks: “We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.” The president said he ordered commanders “to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership and facilities.”
Could it happen again?
Gen. McKenzie, head of the U.S. Central Command, has said that while American forces continue to investigate the perpetrators of yesterday’s attack against Kabul airport, they are also focused on other “extremely active threat streams” to the airfield.
Will evacuations continue?
The U.S., along with its allies Germany and the U.K., plan to continue evacuation flights, though time is swiftly running out. Australia and New Zealand have already ended their evacuation missions. Per the country’s defense secretary, the U.K.’s effort will end in a “matter of hours.” According to the Pentagon, roughly 1,000 Americans are in Afghanistan as of this morning.
