Military investigators concluded that the suicide bomber carrying 20 pounds of explosives with ball bearings was responsible for the attack that killed more than 170 Afghans.
On Aug. 26, a blast at Abbey Gate, Kabul’s airport, killed 11 U.S. Marines. They were a sailor, and a soldier who were screening thousands of Afghans trying desperately to board one of the crowded flights out of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.
On Friday, military officials presented a graphic and detailed minute-by-minute account at the Pentagon of the bombing. They stated that the wounds suffered by those who died were so severe that they could not be healed. They also said that previous thoughts about a complex attack with gunfire were unfounded.
According to Gen. Frank McKenzie of U.S. Central Command, “A single explosive device caused the deaths of at least 170 Afghan civilians as well as 13 U.S. military personnel.” McKenzie said that ball bearings were directed through a crowd into Abbey gate and into the hands and faces of American servicemembers. The 58 U.S. military personnel who were wounded and killed by this device confirmed its disturbing lethality. They had worn universal body armor and helmets, which did not stop the ball bearings from impacting them. However, they could not prevent the catastrophic injuries in areas that weren’t covered.
Nvestigators believed the bomber probably got close to the gate through bypassing Taliban and other security checkpoints. They stated that the Taliban did not know about the attack, that security precautions were being taken, and that intelligence regarding potential threats was not specific.
Brig. The investigation was led by Gen. Lance Curtis. He said that the military leaders in Kabul had followed security protocols, closing down or halting the processing of evacuees at times.
According to military officials, the gunfire that followed the blast was a result of warning shots fired by U.S. troops and British troops. No one was injured or killed by these shots.
McKenzie stated that five-millimeter ball bearings inside the bomb were responsible for wounds that resembled gunshots. McKenzie said that some troops were in the area and fired warning shots that led to others believing that there were gunmen involved in the attack.
Friday’s briefing was more than an hour long and reminded of the detailed explanations that military officials gave families of those who lost their loved ones on that fateful day. It also included many videos showing the chaos at that gate at the time the bombing occurred.
One is extremely brief. It shows two Marines in the foreground. Deep in the background is a glimpse at a single person in all black. The sound of an explosion is heard, followed by a puff of black smoke rising from the area. Investigators believe the bomber was standing on the other side of the sewage canal. It was also a bit elevated when he detonated the bomb. A backpack was found in pieces.
Three servicemen who stood on a wall to look over the crowd for potential evacuees, were only 10 feet away from the explosion and were shot dead. Longer, overhead videos show Marines and other personnel running to evacuate injured people, giving first aid, and carrying them over their shoulders while civilians fled the scene.
Marines made holes in the fence to get to triage areas faster, while fighting through the fog of tear gas that engulfed the area after the bomb fragments were punctured by the cannisters troops carried.
Investigators said that the blast caused “instant chaos” and sensory overload. But, within 20 minutes, all the injured and killed had been transferred to triage facilities.
Photos were included on nearly 20 pages of briefing materials. They showed the Afghans trying to get into the airport. Many waving documents and crawling through the sewage trench in an attempt to reach the troops that were processing the evacuees.
According to investigators, as the Taliban made it harder to pass checkpoints they encouraged Afghans and others to use side roads and back alleys in order to reach the outer gate.
It was also found that there was sufficient medical staff and blood at many locations around the airport. This included nine surgical teams and one hospital. It also quoted a trauma surgeon as saying that they had everything they needed. Did we need more people? We had plenty of experience and a lot of people on the team.
As they were treated, some of the victims were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.
U.S. military officials stated that the U.S. troops at the gates were performing a dangerous job. The U.S.-led coalition evacuated approximately 126,000 Afghans in three weeks. The U.S. finally left Afghanistan at midnight on August 30th.
McKenzie stated that troops stationed at the gates needed to be close to people being screened.
“This is close-up work. McKenzie stated in August, shortly after the attack, that the breath of the person for whom you are searching is upon them.
