Deadly Kabul Attack: A City In Mourning

On August 26, 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans at Kabul airport, killing at least 60 Afghans and 13 US troops. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, which came as thousands of people sought to flee the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The attack transformed a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the country.

The Kabul airport attack on August 26, 2021, killed 60 Afghans and 13 US troops

On August 26, 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted crowds of Afghans who had gathered near Kabul airport in a desperate attempt to flee the country before the US withdrawal deadline of August 31. The Kabul airport attack killed 60 Afghans and 13 US troops and injured over 150 people. It was the deadliest day for the US military in Afghanistan since 2011.

The Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS–K) claimed responsibility for the attack. This was the first American military casualty in Afghanistan since February 2020. ISIS-K grew out of disaffected Taliban members who hold more extreme views.

The attack involved a suicide bomber detonating an explosive belt at Abbey Gate, one of the entrances to the airport. After the explosion, gunfire erupted, and all gates to the airport were closed. US officials stated that ISIS-K gunmen opened fire on the crowd, and US troops returned fire. The Pentagon acknowledged that US troops may have been responsible for some deaths.

The US general overseeing the evacuation, Gen. Frank McKenzie, stated that the attacks would not stop the US from evacuating Americans and others, and that flights out of the country would continue. McKenzie also noted that the Taliban had been assisting with security at the airport and had not been involved in the attacks.

US President Joe Biden addressed the nation following the attack, vowing to hunt down those responsible and make them pay. Biden honoured the US service members killed and expressed sorrow for the Afghan victims.

The attack highlighted the dangers faced by those trying to flee Afghanistan and the challenges of conducting evacuations in a highly volatile environment. It also underscored the ongoing security threats in the country and the need for a coordinated response to address them.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the killings

On August 26, 2021, a suicide bombing and gun assault at Kabul airport left at least 100 people dead, including 13 US troops and at least 60 Afghans. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the killings, which specifically targeted a frantic Western evacuation operation.

The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), an Islamic State offshoot, has been a major threat to the Taliban's ability to govern Afghanistan. ISIS-K first emerged in Pakistan in 2015 and is considered a “province” within the Islamic State command structure. The “K” in its name refers to Khorasan province, a region that includes parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. ISIS-K views itself as a global operation and seeks to re-establish the historic boundaries of the province, which also extend beyond Afghanistan to parts of Iran and Central Asia.

ISIS-K has a mutual hatred of the Taliban and attracts members with even more radical views. The group sees the Taliban as "filthy nationalists" with ambitions only to form a government confined to Afghanistan, which contradicts ISIS-K's goal of establishing a global caliphate. ISIS-K has denounced the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan as a betrayal of jihad, the struggle against Islam's enemies.

ISIS-K has carried out hundreds of attacks since its founding, targeting civilian centres, including hospitals, universities, and even a maternity ward. The Kabul airport attack was the group's most globally consequential action to date and drew a promise of retribution from US President Joe Biden.

The Taliban were not believed to be involved in the attacks

On 26 August 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans at Kabul airport, Afghanistan, killing at least 60 Afghans and 13 US troops. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the killings on its Amaq news channel. The IS affiliate in Afghanistan is far more radical than the Taliban, who had recently taken control of the country. Notably, the Taliban were not believed to have been involved in the attacks and condemned the blasts.

The Taliban and ISIS-K are enemies. ISIS-K, or the Islamic State – Khorasan Province, is the Afghanistan-based offshoot of the Islamic State, with up to 4,000 members. They are the Taliban's most bitter enemy and top threat militarily. The group has continued to carry out attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, especially against the country's minority groups.

The Taliban had fought against ISIS-KP previously and were helping US forces to maintain security at the airport. After the attack, the Taliban condemned it, saying "evil circles will be strictly stopped". They also announced that they would take every possible measure to capture ISIS-K leader, Shahab al-Muhajir.

In April 2023, it was reported that the Taliban had killed the mastermind behind the Kabul airport attack. The ISIS-K operative, whose name was not provided, was killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The US has intelligence and other sources confirming his death but is not relying on the Taliban for confirmation.

The attack involved two suicide bombers and gunmen

On August 26, 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans outside Kabul's airport. The attack killed at least 60 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops, with the Islamic State group claiming responsibility.

The first explosion took place outside what is known as the Abbey Gate, with the second blast occurring at or near the Baron Hotel, where evacuees had been instructed to gather. The suicide bombers detonated explosive belts at the airport gate, with ISIS gunmen also opening fire on servicemen and civilians.

The attack was carried out during the final days of the U.S.-led airlift, which aimed to evacuate those fleeing the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The Taliban had been screening people outside the airport gates and were not believed to be involved in the attack.

The bombings caused a sharp decrease in the number of evacuees, with approximately 7,500 people being evacuated in the 12 hours following the attack, compared to 19,000 in a 24-hour period earlier in the week.

The US carried out a drone strike in Afghanistan in retaliation for the attack, killing two ISIS-K members

On August 26, 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans at Kabul airport, killing at least 60 Afghans and 13 US troops. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.

In retaliation, the US carried out a drone strike in Afghanistan, killing two ISIS-K members. The strike took place in Nangarhar Province in eastern Afghanistan. President Joe Biden vowed to "hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay."

The drone strike was carried out by an MQ-9 Reaper drone, and the munitions selected were intended for precision and to minimize civilian casualties. According to the Pentagon, there were "zero civilian casualties."

The Taliban condemned the strike as a violation of sovereignty. A Taliban spokesman said, "Afghanistan is now an independent country, and if there is any issue, we are here to handle it. This is a direct violation of the sovereignty of our country."

Despite the US retaliation, the threat of terrorist attacks remained high in the following days. President Biden warned that an attack was "highly likely in the next 24-36 hours."

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