The Taliban, now nominally in control of Afghanistan since Joe Biden abandoned Bagram Air Base and withdrew all U.S. forces from the country, is reacting to the horrific terrorist attacks just outside the Kabul airport.
Dozens have reportedly been killed, scores more injured, with at least 12 of the killed being U.S. Marines who were checking the documents of people trying to enter the Kabul airport, the only way out of Afghanistan, according to Fox News. Three additional Marines were reportedly wounded. The numbers will fluctuate for hours, assuming there are no further attacks.
The Marines who have been killed and injured would presumably be among the thousands of troops Joe Biden deployed into Afghanistan after withdrawing the 2,500 who had been stationed there prior to his withdrawal of all U.S. forces earlier in August.
JUST IN – At least 40 dead and 120 wounded, with the majority in critical condition, arriving at #Kabul hospitals following the terror attacks, according to a local NYT reporter.
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 26, 2021
Shortly after the attacks, the Taliban claimed that several of those injured were its fighters.
A Taliban official has said at least 13 people have been killed including children and
many Taliban guards have been wounded in an explosion outside Kabul's airport— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) August 26, 2021
ISIS-K is believed to be behind the attacks and is still in the area in large numbers. But it’s possible that the attack was carried out by any number of terrorist groups, including members of the Taliban itself. Al-Qaeda is known to be active in Afghanistan now. ISIS-K and the Taliban are reportedly enemies.
NEW: Source briefed on the situation in Kabul tells me “hundreds of ISIS-K in the vicinity, attacks likely to continue”
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) August 26, 2021
The unfolding situation is reaching far above and beyond Afghanistan. Prior to the Taliban’s takeover, it was not believed to pose much of an aerial threat. That is no longer the case. “NOTAM” means “Notice to Airmen” or aircrews.
JUST IN – UK issues NOTAM for #Afghanistan, urging airlines to avoid the airspace under 25,000ft.
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 26, 2021
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was set to travel to Israel to visit with the prime minister. That trip is canceled. Joe Biden was set to meet with governors Thursday afternoon. That meeting is also canceled.
Biden was slated to meet with governors about Afghanistan refugees at 3:00pm. That is now cancelled.
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) August 26, 2021
The Taliban itself has reacted to the attacks, indicating that it had no role in them. For what that’s worth.
Taliban condemns suicide bombing at Kabul airport pic.twitter.com/vfXRR9ewlr
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 26, 2021
The Taliban’s top spokesman claimed just hours before the Kabul attacks that there’s no evidence that al-Qaeda was behind the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Those attacks precipitated the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
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