Pentagon Launches Review of Pre-Attack Events in Kabul

(DailyDig.com) – A new Defense Department has reviewed the bombing at Kabul airport in Afghanistan, which killed 13 US troops and 170 civilians in 2021. They concluded that US troops would not have been able to prevent the deadly incident.

Their conclusion focused on the last few hours prior to the attack on Abbey Gate. The new information about the bomber, who was an Islamic State terrorist, included how he had joined the mass of people attempting to evacuate the airport. Moments later, the bomber detonated his explosives.

A few Marines at Abbey Gate had stated that they observed a man matching the description of the suspect hours prior to the attack within the crowds. They said that their commanders had instructed them not to shoot him.

Political pressure increased to address the discrepancy between the Marines’ claims and the conclusion of the 2022 review. The concern regarding the bomber’s identity was an important reason for another investigation. After the attack and later, when evidence was gathered, the identity of the bomber was declared to be Abdul Rahman Al-Logari, who was a militant freed from prison when the Taliban took control in 2021.

The investigators reported that the bomber set off the explosive, most likely located in his vest or backpack. The explosion sent ball bearings blasting into everything and everyone. This information was known by Army officials and the Marines, who began the second review in September 2023.

The review revealed that the Marines stationed at Abbey Gate received instructions to look out for a man with loose clothing, well-groomed hair, and carrying a black bag. This description, according to the review, was insufficient to allow the Marines to accurately identify the subject.

The review team studied a picture taken by a Marine sniper of the suspect they reported and determined that he didn’t match the description or the photograph of Al-Logari.

The review concluded that the traumatic attack affected the Marines’ claims and many other eyewitness accounts.