Lois Larson
On 26 August 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport, hoping to be accepted on to an evacuation flight and flee the Taliban takeover. The attack killed at least 60 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members, with a further 15 troops injured. The Islamic State group's affiliate in Afghanistan, known as Islamic State-Khorasan Province, claimed responsibility for the attack.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 26 August 2021 |
| Location | Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Attackers | ISIS-K, Islamic State group's affiliate in Afghanistan |
| Attack Method | Suicide bombing, gunfire |
| Targets | American troops and their Afghan allies |
| Fatalities | 60 Afghans, 13 US service members |
| Injuries | 150 |
| Warning | US diplomats in Kabul warned American citizens to leave the airport hours before the attack |
| International Reactions | Condemnation, solidarity with victims, evacuation of troops |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack
- Afghan civilians and 13 US troops were killed
- The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan forced thousands to flee to the airport
- The US received warnings of a possible attack in the week preceding it
- The attack was condemned by world leaders and organisations
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack
On 26 August 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted crowds of Afghans and US troops who were gathered at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed 60 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members.
ISIS-K, an affiliate of militants who previously battled US forces in Syria and Iraq, said it had carried out the attack. The group claimed that a suicide bomber had "managed to reach a large gathering of translators and collaborators with the American army at 'Baran Camp' near Kabul Airport and detonate".
US President Joe Biden vowed to "hunt down and make [the perpetrators] pay" and said that the attack would not stop the mass evacuation airlift. Biden also said that the United States had an idea of who had ordered the attacks, and ordered military commanders to develop plans to strike ISIS assets, leaders, and facilities.
The attack took place amid the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan, during which thousands of people sought to flee the Taliban takeover. After the fall of Kabul to the Taliban on 15 August 2021, Hamid Karzai International Airport was the only way out of Afghanistan. Security concerns grew after hundreds of members of the Islamic State – Khorasan Province escaped from jails at Bagram and Pul-e-Charkhi.
DMA Codes: Which Airports Do They Represent?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
60 Afghan civilians and 13 US troops were killed
On 26 August 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. The airport was the only way out of Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. The attack killed 60 Afghan civilians and 13 US troops, with a further 15 US troops injured.
The Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate, known as Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISIS–K), claimed responsibility for the attack. ISIS-K is more extreme than the Taliban and is at war with them. Hours before the attack, US diplomats in Kabul warned American citizens to leave the airport because of security threats. The UK's Armed Forces Minister also warned of a highly credible threat of attack at the airport by ISIS militants.
The bombing came after warnings to citizens to stay away from the airport due to an imminent threat. Huge crowds had been gathering in the area, hoping to be accepted onto an evacuation flight. The attack transformed a scene of desperation into one of horror in the final days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover.
The attack was condemned by many nations, the European Commission, and the United Nations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel cancelled a planned trip to Israel to monitor the evacuation of German troops. The United States also launched an airstrike against a vehicle carrying three ISIS–K members in Nangarhar Province.
Exploring Hong Kong Airport: Things to Do and See
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan forced thousands to flee to the airport
The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 caused a surge of Afghans to flee the country. As the Taliban seized control of Kabul, Hamid Karzai International Airport became the only route out of Afghanistan. Thousands of Afghans rushed to the airport, with many clambering over barriers and thronging the tarmac in a desperate attempt to escape. The American military took control of the evacuation of diplomatic staff and allies, but the process was chaotic and deadly. At least seven people died in the chaos, including two "armed Afghans" killed by U.S. forces.
The Taliban's victory brought an end to twenty years of war and foreign military presence in Afghanistan. The previous Afghan government and security forces collapsed, and U.S.-backed President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. The Taliban's rise to power sparked fears of a resurgence of extremist groups and a worsening security situation. The Taliban soon declared a new government, which remains unrecognized by any foreign state or international institution.
In the aftermath of the Taliban takeover, Western donors cut off development aid, which had previously covered 75% of the Afghan government's expenditures. The Taliban's restrictions on the rights of women and girls led to sanctions, asset freezes, and banking restrictions imposed by Western countries. At the same time, these countries have provided billions of dollars in aid to mitigate poverty and prevent famine.
The situation at Kabul airport deteriorated further as security threats increased. The embassies of the U.S., UK, and Australia warned of high-security threats, including the possibility of an attack by ISIS militants. Despite these warnings, thousands of Afghans continued to gather at the airport, hoping to secure evacuation. On August 26, 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted the crowds, killing 60 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops. This tragic event further highlighted the desperation of those fleeing the Taliban regime.
Uber's Boston Airport Service: Available or Not?
You may want to see also
The US received warnings of a possible attack in the week preceding it
On 26 August 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. The attack killed 60 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members, and wounded many others.
In the week preceding the attack, US President Joe Biden received multiple reports of a possible attack. On 16 August, the Pentagon warned the US Congress about the increased threat of a terrorist attack by ISIS following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban the previous day. Hundreds of members of the Islamic State – Khorasan Province had escaped from jails at Bagram and Pul-e-Charkhi, raising security concerns.
On 22 August, Biden warned that the longer US troops remained in the country, the greater the threat that ISIS would pose to American personnel and civilians near the airport. Hours before the attack, US diplomats in Kabul warned American citizens to leave the airport because of security threats. The embassies of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia also warned about high-security threats involving the airport.
The attack was met with widespread condemnation from nations and organisations, including the European Commission and the United Nations.
The Bahamas Airport: Destroyed or Recovering?
You may want to see also
The attack was condemned by world leaders and organisations
The 2021 Kabul airport attack was condemned by world leaders and organisations. The attack, which killed 13 US troops and roughly 170 Afghan civilians, involved two suicide bombers and gunmen who targeted crowds of Afghans flocking to the airport to flee the Taliban takeover.
The European Commission and the United Nations were among the first to condemn the attack. German Chancellor Angela Merkel cancelled her trip to Israel and instead stayed in Germany to monitor the evacuation of German troops. Biden also rescheduled a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett. The United Kingdom defiantly stated that civilian evacuations would continue despite the attack.
The father of Kareem Nikoui, who was killed in the 2021 Kabul airport bombing, heckled during the 2024 State of the Union Address and was arrested within the United States Capitol.
On 27 August, two days after the attack, the United States launched an airstrike against a vehicle carrying three ISIS-K members in Nangarhar Province. Two were killed, and one was injured. These individuals were described by Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby as "high-profile ISIS targets" and "planners and facilitators".
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Code Pink, and Amnesty International condemned the 29 August drone strike, calling for accountability and an investigation. U.S. House Representative Ilhan Omar also condemned the strike on Twitter.
Replacing Your MacBook's Airport Card: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
On 26 August 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted crowds of Afghans who had gathered at Kabul's airport in an attempt to flee the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The attack killed 60 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members.
The Islamic State group's affiliate in Afghanistan, known as Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-KP or ISIS–K), claimed responsibility for the attack. In 2023, the leader of the ISIS–K cell that organized the attack was believed to have been killed by Taliban security forces.
Yes, there were warnings of a possible attack in the days and hours leading up to the incident. The Pentagon warned the US Congress about the increased threat of a terrorist attack by ISIS following the fall of Kabul. Embassies of the US, UK, and Australia also warned their citizens about high-security threats involving the airport. Hours before the attack, US diplomats in Kabul warned American citizens to leave the airport due to security threats.
