On Thursday, Biden condemned the terrorist attack at the International Airport in Kabul that claimed the lives of at least 13 U.S. service troops, injuring 18 more. The president pledged to hunt down those who were responsible for the deadly attack, adding that he will make the terrorists pay for it.
Biden: the United States will not forgive and will not forget
After the deadly bombing in Kabul, Biden warned of retaliation against attackers, stating that the U.S. will not forgive and will not forget what happened. He then threatened to hunt down those who were behind the deadly attack, adding that they will make them pay.
President Biden mourned the U.S. service members and Afghans killed in the attacks at the Kabul airport on Thursday and addressed those responsible: “We will hunt you down and make you pay.” https://t.co/YXINpuW0qb pic.twitter.com/B8b7vvRhi3
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 27, 2021
Despite the deadly bombing, Biden noted that the evacuation effort will continue and they will not be stopped by terrorists. The president then claimed that he already gave orders to his commanders to formulate operational plans to strike assets, facilities, and leadership of the ISIS-K.
He added that they will respond with precision and force at a time they deem proper and at the place they choose. Biden proclaimed to the public that ISIS will not win and they will evacuate Americans who are still left in the country.
Biden also noted that they will continue to pull out Afghan allies left in the country and their mission will persist, noting that the U.S. will not be intimidated by what happened. At least 13 U.S. service members were killed at the deadly bombing and 18 more were left injured. The incident is the highest death toll for U.S. troops in a single day since 2011.
According to reports, bombs were set off outside of the airport near the crowd of Afghan families, desperately hoping to catch the last evacuation flights out of the country. There were also gunfires reported after the explosion.
Biden noted that Thursday was a “tough day”, adding that these U.S. service members gave their lives and engaged in dangerous, selfless missions to save others.
Officials were warned the night before of the deadly attack
However, the night before the deadly bombing, U.S. officials were warned of a “credible” and “specific” threat at the airport; this warning came from an affiliate of the ISIS-K. Western governments then started to urge people to leave the area.
Yet, despite the specific warning, military officials noted that it was extremely difficult to pick out a suicide bomber carrying a hidden explosive vest in the big crowd of people gathered at the airport.
President Joe Biden has stuck by his plan to withdraw nearly 6,000 US troops from Afghanistan by August 31, contingent on whether Taliban cooperates to allow evacuations of more Americans and their Afghan allies.
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— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) August 25, 2021
The swift takeover by the Taliban caught the Biden administration off-guard. It also created a chaotic evacuation wherein at least 6,000 U.S. troops tried to secure the Kabul International Airport against the Taliban forces and other terror groups.
On Friday, Biden promised to evacuate all Americans and Afghan allies who are still left in the country. He also vowed that any violence or harm against the U.S. forces (or interference of the U.S. operations in Kabul) will be countered with a powerful and fast response.
