The United States military intercepted at least five rockets launched at the Hamid Karzai international Airport (HKIA)in Kabul on Monday.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Chief of Staff Ron Klain briefed President Joe Biden on the attempted attack according to the White House. Another official told Reuters that there were no initial reports of any U.S. casualties.
“The President was informed that operations continue uninterrupted at HKIA, and has reconfirmed his order that commanders redouble their efforts to prioritize doing whatever is necessary to protect our forces on the ground,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki in a statement Monday.
The rocket attack comes one day after the U.S. drone struck an explosive-filled vehicle in route to Kabul’s airport and four days after an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 13 American troops and some 170 Afghan nationals. It also happened one day before the American military was scheduled to fully withdraw from Afghanistan.
It is fortunate that the interception was accomplished and protected the airport and our troops, as all remaining troops departed around midnight on August 31. The departure was accomplished around the midnight hour in Afghanistan, which is about 3:30 pm ET in the United States.
If all reports are true, this means the U.S. has ended its 20-year war by withdrawing all troops. Unfortunately, from all reports, we left Americans and Afghan allies behind when we withdrew on President Joe Biden’s command.
Hello, I want to share an important issue with you. Before the Taliban came to Kabul, we had a normal life, but after the Taliban came to Kabul, my life and that of my family were in danger. The Taliban warns me. I have a child whose face is different, the Taliban tells me where did you get this foreign child? The Taliban tells me that we forcibly expelled the foreigners from Afghanistan and defeated them. He tells me that this child has the same face as the foreigners, and tells me that you were a foreign spy and ally.… Read more »
Hello, I want to share an important issue with you. Before the Taliban came to Kabul, we had a normal life, but after the Taliban came to Kabul, my life and that of my family were in danger. The Taliban warns me. I have a child whose face is different, the Taliban tells me where did you get this foreign child? The Taliban tells me that we forcibly expelled the foreigners from Afghanistan and defeated them. He tells me that this child has the same face as the foreigners, and tells me that you were a foreign spy and ally.… Read more »