An explosion outside the Abbey Gate at the Kabul airport Thursday has “resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties,” according to a tweet from Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby.
A number of those killed were U.S. troops. “We can confirm that a number of U.S. service members were killed in today’s complex attack at Kabul airport,” Kirby said in a statement.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin later issued his “deepest condolences” to the loved ones and teammates of those who were killed and wounded in Kabul.
Another explosion at a nearby hotel where Americans had sheltered has also been confirmed by the Pentagon.
Following the slapdash withdrawal from Afghanistan — in which the Biden administration left billions of dollars in military equipment (including attack helicopters, fighter jets, guns, explosives, and tactical gear, such as night-vision goggles and scopes) to fall into the hands of the Taliban — the administration vacillated between dodging the issue and assuring the American public that all is well. After all, the Taliban promised to behave themselves and reign peacefully. They even promised an “inclusive” government that would “recognize the rights” of the very peoples they are famous for oppressing.
As to the aircraft, guns, bombs, and tactical gear left behind, what could possibly go wrong with a third-world terrorist group getting their blood-stained hands on a few billion dollars’ worth of first-world military equipment? At least the Taliban promised a peaceful transfer of power.
But — the promises of the Taliban and the assurances of the Biden administration duly noted — the suicide-bomber terrorist attack on the airport and second attack on the Baron Hotel were predictable. The only wonder is that U.S. military equipment was not used in the attacks.
Sources from both the Taliban and Russia’s Foreign Ministry told media that at least 13 people, including children, were killed in the coordinated attacks. And while the Taliban is now in control of Afghanistan and has the high-powered and high-tech military gear to make them a force to be reckoned with, U.S. officials are blaming the attack on ISIS-K (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant — Khorasan Province).
Following Thursday’s bombings, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby tweeted, “We can confirm that the explosion at the Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties,” adding, “We can also confirm at least one other explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate. We will continue to update.”
Besides the thousands of Afghan evacuees still camped out on the tarmac at the Kabul airport waiting to be evacuated, there are also more than 5,000 U.S. troops there, stuck behind enemy lines and without any real support as the situation goes from bad to worse.
Fox News reports:
The Taliban had moved quickly through the country ahead of the planned U.S. withdrawal at the end of the month, catching the U.S. off guard and leading to chaotic scenes at Kabul airport and a mass evacuation effort. As of Wednesday, 82,300 people had been flown out, including 4,500 U.S. citizens.
And:
A source briefed on the situation told Fox News that there are hundreds of Islamic States fighters in the vicinity and warned that attacks are “likely to continue.”
“Taliban has essentially completely stopped letting Afghans through,” the source said, adding that they are “mostly” letting Americans through, but many are staying away due to the ISIS threat.
“Military continues to retrograde and depart airport. Almost a certainty that Americans will be left behind,” the source said. “They will have to be extracted after-the-fact through either Taliban negotiation or unconventional means.”
Amid this quagmire of inept leadership, Biden is somehow keeping a straight face as he blames it all on Donald Trump, who left office eight months ago. With “hundreds of Islamic States fighters in the vicinity” and attacks “likely to continue,” Biden’s blame-it-all-on-Trump strategy is going to wear thin fast.
Afghanistan may prove to be the beginning of the end for Biden, as even many in his own party cannot defend his sloppy lack of leadership this time.
