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2021 Kabul airport attack

Coordinates: 34°33′31″N 69°13′13″E / 34.55861°N 69.22028°E / 34.55861; 69.22028
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2021 Kabul airport attack
Part of the ISIL–Taliban conflict
The United States Air Force at Hamid Karzai International Airport during evacuations
Map
LocationHamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan
Coordinates34°33′31″N 69°13′13″E / 34.55861°N 69.22028°E / 34.55861; 69.22028
Date26 August 2021 (2021-08-26)
17:50 (UTC+04:30)
TargetAfghan civilians, foreign troops, and Taliban members
Attack type
Suicide bombing[1][2]
Deaths182+[3]
Injured150+[4][5]
Perpetrators Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province[6][7]
AssailantAbdul Rahman al-Logari[8]

A suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan took place on 26 August 2021 at 17:50 local time (13:20 UTC),[9] during the evacuation from Afghanistan.[1][10][11][12] At least 182 people were killed, including 169 Afghan civilians and 13 members of the United States military,[13][4] the first American military casualties in Afghanistan since February 2020.[14] The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province (ISIL-KP) claimed responsibility for the attack.[15] On 27 August, the United States launched an airstrike against three suspected ISIL-KP members in Nangarhar Province.[16]

Background

Further information: 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan

After Afghanistan fell to Taliban control on 15 August 2021, Hamid Karzai International Airport became the only secure way out of Afghanistan.[17] Security concerns grew after hundreds of members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province (ISIL-KP) escaped from jails at Bagram and Pul-e-Charkhi.[18] On 16 August, the Pentagon warned the US Congress about the increased threat of a terrorist attack from IS following the fall of Kabul the day previous.[19][20] US President Joe Biden received multiple reports of a possible attack during the week preceding the attack,[21] and warned on 22 August in remarks from the White House that the longer US troops remained in the country, the greater the threat IS would pose to US personnel and civilians near the Hamid Karzai International Airport.[22]

Hours before the attack, US diplomats in Kabul warned American citizens to leave the airport because of security threats.[23] United Kingdom Armed Forces Minister James Heappey had also warned of a highly credible threat of attack at Kabul airport by Islamic State militants.[24][25] Embassies from United States, United Kingdom, and Australia also warned about high security threats on the airport.[26]

Attack

Amid the 2021 evacuation of Afghanistan, a crowd of local and foreign civilians had fled to the airport to evacuate.[27] At Abbey Gate, one of the gates leading into the airport, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive.[28] After the explosion, gunfire erupted, and all gates to the airport were closed.[29][30] US officials said that ISIL-KP gunmen opened fire into the crowd after the bomb and US troops returned fire.[2] According to correspondent Secunder Kermani, eyewitnesses attributed at least some of the gunfire into the crowd and consequent deaths after the explosion to panic by US soldiers.[31]

The explosion occurred by a canal with American forces on one side; checking evacuees' passports, visas and other documentation before allowing them inside the airport. An eyewitness stated that the explosion felt as if someone pulled the ground from under his feet, and saw other evacuees thrown in the air by the force of the blast.[32] Initial reports erroneously stated that a second explosion had taken place near the close-by Baron Hotel.[33][34] The following day, it was confirmed that there was no such second explosion.[35]

The attack was carried out by ISIL-KP, which released a claim of responsibility and named the bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari.[6][8] The Taliban have fought against ISIL–KP previously.[36] When asked how the terrorists were able to pass through the checkpoints of the Taliban, General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), said: “As to whether or not they [the Taliban] let it happen, I don’t know...”, adding “I don’t think there’s anything to convince me that they let it happen.”.[37]

Victims

A Marine Corps service member (standing at left with baby), one of 13 US service personnel killed, photographed six days before the attack[38]

At least 182 people were killed during the attack, including 169 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members. Two of the killed civilians were British dual-nationals and one was the child of a British national.[3][39] It was initially reported that 28 Taliban fighters had also been killed in the attack, but this was later denied by Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.[40] The dead Americans were identified as eleven marines, one soldier, and one Navy corpsman.[41][5][13][42] The US deaths were the first US service deaths in Afghanistan since February 2020 and were the largest single loss of life of US military personnel since the 2011 Afghanistan Boeing Chinook shootdown.[43]

At least 150 more people were injured,[4] including 18 US military personnel and a number of Taliban members.[44]

Reactions and response

Through a tweet by their spokesperson, the Taliban condemned the attack, saying "evil circles will be strictly stopped".[45] The Taliban later announced that they would take every possible measure to capture ISIL-KP leader Shahab al-Muhajir.[46]

Abdullah Abdullah, former Chief Executive of Afghanistan and current National Coalition of Afghanistan leader, condemned the attack.[47] Some civilians claimed to reporters that the attack had strengthened their resolve to evacuate from the country in fear of more attacks.[48]

US President Joe Biden made a public address following the attack. He honored the American service members who were killed, calling them "heroes" and saying they lost their lives "in the service of liberty”. He expressed deep sorrow for the Afghan victims as well. Biden said to those who wished harm upon the US that "we will hunt you down and make you pay".[49] The government of the United Kingdom also said that they will continue Operation Pitting, the evacuation from Afghanistan.[50]

Many nations expressed condemnation for the Kabul airport attack and solidarity with the victims and troops conducting evacuations at the airport.[note 1] The European Commission[71] and the United Nations[72] likewise condemned the attack. German Chancellor Angela Merkel cancelled an upcoming trip to Israel, and will stay in Germany to monitor the evacuation of German troops.[73] Biden also rescheduled a meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett because of the attack.[49][74] The United Kingdom said civilian evacuations would continue in spite of the attack.[50]

US airstrikes

On 27 August, the United States launched an airstrike against what US military said was a vehicle carrying three ISIL-KP members in Nangarhar Province. Two were killed, described by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby as "high-profile ISIS targets" and "planners and facilitators"; the third militant was injured. An anonymous defense official said that one victim was "associated with potential future attacks at the airport".[75]

On 29 August, a drone strike was carried out by the United States against a vehicle carrying a number of ISIL-KP suicide bomber in Kabul. The targets were trying to reach the Kabul airport and attacking it. All the occupants in the vehicle were killed.[76] The strike was carried out the same day of a rocket attack against a civilian house near the Kabul airport, which resulted in the death of a child.[77]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ They include Australia,[51] Canada,[52] China,[53] Denmark,[54] Finland,[55] France,[56] Hungary,[57] India,[58] Indonesia,[59] Iran,[60] Israel,[61] Kazakhstan,[62] Malaysia,[63] New Zealand,[64] Norway,[65] Poland,[66] Romania,[67] Russia,[68] Turkey,[69] Ukraine,[70] the United Kingdom,[50][21] and the United States.[49]

References

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  2. ^ a b Seligman, Laura; Ward, Alexander; Desiderio, Andrew; Lippman, Daniel; McLeary, Paul. "13 U.S. troops killed in ISIS attacks on Kabul airport". Politico. Capitol News Company, LLC. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021. An ISIS militant wearing a suicide vest was responsible for the first bombing, two U.S. officials and a person familiar with the matter told POLITICO, detonating around 5 p.m. local time just outside Abbey Gate. ISIS gunmen then opened fire on the crowd. Three sources said U.S. troops returned fire soon after.
  3. ^ a b "US forces keep up Kabul airlift under threat of more attacks". Associated Press. 27 August 2021. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
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  31. ^ Kermani, Secunder [@SecKermani] (28 August 2021). "Our report from last night on the awful ISIS attack outside Kabul airport as families still search Kabul's morgues for their loved ones.. Many we spoke to, including eyewitnesses, said significant numbers of those killed were shot dead by US forces in the panic after the blast https://t.co/ac5nUVeJ4x" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021 – via Twitter.
  32. ^ Mark, Moore (26 August 2021). "Kabul airport suicide bombing witness says young girl died in his arms". New York Post. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  33. ^ "U.S. says two explosions near Kabul airport; Islamic State suspected". Reuters. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  34. ^ "Pentagon confirms second explosion near Kabul airport and "a number of US and civilian casualties"". CNN. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
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  55. ^ Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland [@ulkoministerio] (26 August 2021). "FM @Haavisto: Deepest condolences to families and loved ones of victims and wounded in the terrorist attack in Kabul #HKIA A brutal attack against innocent civilians and those trying to help them" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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  61. ^ Lapid, Yair [@yairlapid] (26 August 2021). "I am shocked and saddened by the horrific terror attack in Kabul" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  62. ^ Jomart-Tokayev, Qasym [@TokayevKZ] (27 August 2021). "On behalf of the people of Kazakhstan, I express our sincere condolences to President Biden and the American people on multiple casualties and injuries among the US service members caused by terrorist attack at the Kabul International Airport" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  63. ^ Bernama (28 August 2021). "Malaysia condemns Kabul Airport terror attacks". New Straits Times. Retrieved 29 August 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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  65. ^ Søreide, Ine Eriksen [@NorwayMFA] (26 August 2021). "I strongly condemn the terrorist attack outside #Kabul airport. Innocent civilians trying to leave the country have become victims of this terrible act of cruelty. Our thoughts are with those affected, their families and loved ones. FM #EriksenSoreide" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  66. ^ Andrzej Duda [@AndrzejDuda] (26 August 2021). "I condemn in strongest terms the heinous attacks at Kabul airport that resulted in dozens of casualties, including US army soldiers, our Allies. My prayers go to the families of those affected by this act of cowardice. Poland stands with our US and Afghani friends" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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  68. ^ Antonov, Anatoly [@RusEmbUSA] (26 August 2021). "#Antonov: I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the terrorist attack in #Kabul" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  69. ^ Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu [@mevlutcavusoglu] (26 August 2021). "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives after today's attack in #Kabul" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  70. ^ Zelensky, Volodymyr [@zelenskyyua] (26 August 2021). "Terrible terrorist attack in Kabul. Deepest condolences to the people of the US & Afghanistan, to the families of the victims" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  71. ^ von Der Leyen, Ursula [@vonderleyen] (26 August 2021). "I strongly condemn the cowardly and inhuman attacks on Kabul airport. It is essential to do everything to ensure the safety of people at the airport" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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