Twelve Americans were killed on Thursday in two suicide bombings around the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, where U.S. forces have been working to evacuate thousands of U.S. and Afghan civilians.
Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, confirmed to reporters that 12 U.S. service members were killed and 15 others were injured. Numerous Afghan civilians were also injured by the blasts, which were determined to be carried out by ISIS fighters, McKenzie said.
The suicide bombing at Kabul’s airport is crystalizing a harsh reality for aid groups and U.S. policymakers: thousands of Afghan allies are likely to be left behind on Aug. 31 when the American evacuation is set to end under President Biden’s deadline.
Advocates and Afghan-Americans who spoke to The Hill about efforts to evacuate family members and vulnerable Afghans expressed extreme desperation over the imminent end of evacuation missions.
