WASHINGTON – February 5 (ONLINE): A suicide bomber who targeted Kabul airport during an evacuation mission in Afghanistan acted alone, a US investigation has found.
The attacker, carrying 20 pounds of explosives packed with ball bearings,blew himself up at Abbey Gate outside the airport on 26 August last year.
At the time, the UK, US, and other nations were carrying out an evacuation mission for thousands of citizens in the country after the Taliban takeover.
More than 170 Afghans and 13 US service members were killed in the attack, which the investigation ruled as “unpreventable”.
The Pentagon said those who died had wounds that were “so catastrophic” that they could not be overcome.
“A single, explosive device killed at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members by explosively directing ball bearings through a packed crowd and into our men and women at Abbey Gate,” said General Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command.
Follow the PNI Facebook page for the latest news and updates.
