Explosions at Kabul, Afghanistan’s airport have killed 13 U.S. service members, and at most 100 Afghans, including children. According to the Pentagon and Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, 18 soldiers and more than 140 Afghans were found wounded in these attacks as well. The time of the suicide attack was at 5:40 PM August 30. 

When America retreated from Afghanistan, an estimate of 1,500 Americans, as well as Afghans working with America, were left behind. Aljazeera claimed, “The Taliban has given the US until August 31 to withdraw its troops and evacuate its citizens as well as Afghans with documents to leave.”

The Taliban has heavy security around the Kabul airport, inside were 5,000 people awaiting flights to escape Afghanistan to enter the American-controlled facility. CNN explains that the ISIS in Khorasan (ISIS-K) has claimed to be carrying out the suicide attack but has no support for their confession. President Joe Biden ordered the U.S. military to shoot down rockets aiming at the Kabul airport to meet the deadline and withdraw from the long-lasting war between America and Afghanistan; afterward, five Afghans were fired due to blocking America’s counterattack rockets by pushing them away, according to CNN. Just The News reports, “The evacuations follow the Taliban’s recent and swift takeover of the country, resulting in a chaotic effort to get Americans and Afghan allies out of the country.” 

General McKenzie, commander of the U.S. General Command, said the U.S. believes that one suicidal bomber detonated the front gate, attempting to get into the airport compound. 

The explosions landed at Abbey Gate in the airport, the second blast was near the Baron hotel. The day before the Taliban took Kabul, the U.S. evacuated 100,00 people temporarily living in other countries. The people evacuated will be temporarily sheltered in Albania, Kosovo until the U.S. finds the citizens another place to live. 

NPR states, “The group known as ISIS-K had long planned attacks on American personnel and others.” The Islamic group has been at odds with the Taliban, now controlling Afghanistan, and the two are enemies. They have been fighting for territory and resources for many years, but as the Taliban sought to negotiate with the United States in recent years, many in the group have opposed talks switched over to the more extremist Islamic State, according to The Associated Press. The White House has said it may not be possible to evacuate all Afghans looking to leave, even with Great Britain helping with the evacuations. CNBC has reported in the last five days, “About 5,400 U.S. service members are assisting with evacuation efforts in Kabul. The British have about 1,000 troops assisting with the evacuation.” 

This horrible attack has led hundreds to come to the conclusion of the Kabul airport ambush to be similar and have been compared to the suicide massacre on September 11, 2001 (New York). The United States and other countries don’t know when and if these attacks and conflicts will end soon, but Denmark, Poland, and Belgium have completed their evacuations, to save Afghans. The Dutch and France have reported ending their evacuations Thursday the 9 through Friday the 10.