Pentagon says Afghan terror attack that killed 13 US service members was ‘not preventable’

The Pentagon has concluded that the August suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed 13 U.S. service members and greater than 170 Afghans throughout the frantic evacuation close to the U.S. embassy was “not preventable.”

“Primarily based on our investigation on the tactical stage, this was not preventable,” Common Lance Curtis advised reporters at a briefing Friday. “And the leaders on the bottom adopted the correct measures. And any time there was an imminent risk warning they adopted the correct procedures: they lowered their profile, they sought cowl and, at occasions, they even ceased operations on the gate.”

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The probe discovered that the terrorist carried 20 kilos of explosives full of ball bearings and that, regardless of an preliminary perception that it was a multi-faceted assault, it was a single assault. Gunfire that was believed to be a part of the assault was later discovered to be warning pictures fired by British or American troops.

ISIS claimed duty for the Aug. 26 assault, which killed 11 U.S. Marines, a sailor and a soldier. The blast occurred as service members have been helping the evacuation of 1000’s of Afghans who had gathered at Abbey gate within the hope of getting out of Afghanistan because the Taliban superior forward of the U.S. withdrawal.

The investigation discovered that the terrorist bypassed safety checkpoints, that the Taliban doubtless didn’t know of the assault and that there was no particular intelligence in regards to the risk itself. The blast was so brutal even these with physique armor and helmets have been killed within the assault. Ball bearings brought about wounds that appeared like gunshots.

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“The disturbing lethality of this system was confirmed by the 58 U.S. service members who have been killed and wounded regardless of the common put on of physique armor and helmets that did cease ball bearings that impacted them however couldn’t stop catastrophic accidents to areas not coated,” Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, mentioned.

Accompanying video exhibits a chaotic scene as civilians fled the world, whereas Marines and others moved in to evacuate these caught within the blast.

Officers famous that the troops have been doing a harmful job as they sought to evacuate what would finally be about 126,000 folks from the embattled nation.

The Pentagon’s report comes simply days after a brand new report by Republicans on the Senate Committee on International Affairs blasted the Biden administration for its dealing with of the frantic withdrawal, together with the choice to desert Bagram Air Base.

“It’s clear the senior management of the Biden Administration did not successfully plan, coordinate and execute an orderly withdrawal and evacuation” from Afghanistan, the report states. “The Biden Administration squandered valuable time, ignored intelligence and proposals from folks on the bottom, and refused bipartisan help to offer them the assets to succeed. Within the course of, the botched withdrawal has tarnished America’s fame and credibility.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.