The terror attack outside the Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in Kabul, Afghanistan has resulted in multiple U.S and civilian casualties, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby has confirmed.
“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,” Kirby tweeted moments ago. “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.”
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. 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.
— John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) August 26, 2021
Frida Ghitis of CNN reports that the State Department says “Initial reports suggest four or more U.S. service personnel may have been injured or killed in the explosion”
State Department: "Initial reports suggest four or more U.S. service personnel may have been injured or killed in the explosion"
— Frida Ghitis (@FridaGhitis) August 26, 2021
Last week, Joe Biden bragged about evacuation efforts during an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC by saying “no one’s being killed” despite reports at the time of at least seven deaths amid the chaos.
“But, look – but no one’s being killed right now, God forgive me if I’m wrong about that, but no one’s being killed right now.”
Earlier this week, Matthew Dowd blasted media coverage of Afghanistan because things had been going so well. “The data for the last week shows Joe Biden has basically gotten 30,000 people out of Afghanistan without a single loss of an American life,“ he said.
On CNN, @matthewjdowd says the media coverage on Afghanistan has been over the top and lacking perspective. He added, "The data for the last week shows Joe Biden has basically gotten 30,000 people out of Afghanistan without a single loss of an American life." pic.twitter.com/AWP06MFNEB
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) August 22, 2021
While it is unclear if there were any U.S. fatalities yet, at least 13 fatalities have been reported by the media, including children, and three American soldiers injured. Those numbers are likely to go up in the coming hours.
Joe Biden was reportedly reluctant to conduct rescue operations in Afghanistan over fears of a Black Hawk Down moment.
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