Evacuations Continue in Kabul Following Suicide Bombings Yesterday

During a speech at the White House yesterday, President Biden vowed to retaliate following the terrorist attacks that killed U.S. service members and wounded others outside of the airport in Kabul yesterday morning. 12 service members had been killed in two separate suicide blasts outside the airport gates and shortly after Biden spoke, U.S. Central Command announced an additional U.S. service member had died. There were also a total of 18 wounded. Ten Marines were among the 13 killed. According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Health, at least 90 Afghans died and another 140 were injured.

During his speech, Biden said he had asked the U.S. military for options to respond to the explosions. The attacks came after days of public and private warnings from Biden of a potential threat that could disrupt the massive airlift effort and complicate the final days of America’s longest war. In addition to evacuating the thousands of Afghans who want to flee the country, Biden also gave the military another mission to hunt down and punish the ISIS terrorists responsible for the attacks. The president also pledged to continue the airlift which will conclude on Tuesday and said that terror attacks were a big reason he sought to limit the duration of the evacuation mission. Biden also ordered flags lowered to half-staff until sunset on August 30th.