Pentagon to revisit Kabul airport bombing that killed 13 US servicemen, interview two dozen new witnesses

Over two years after the haphazard pullback from Afghanistan, the Pentagon has decided to revisit the Kabul bomb blast that killed 13 Americans.

Facing backlash from the GOP lawmakers and military personnel, Pentagon will interview two dozen new witnesses to the Kabul bombing but added that it does not amount to reopening the investigation.

General Michael E. Kurilla, overseeing the US Central Command, ordered the interviews sayingit was “to ensure we do our due diligence" after new information came to light, according to The Washington Post.

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A number of service members who were severely wounded in the bombing and had to be quickly evacuated from the country represent the bulk of the individuals to be interviewed. A few others who weren't wounded but present on the site will also be interviewed, with the Central Command not ruling out the possibility of growing the scope of investigation if new threads emerge from the interviews.

The fresh investigation by the authorities was partly triggered by assertions from one of the service members injured in the blast who said he was never interviewed and that he may have been able to stop the attackers.

A report by The Post last year revealed that two US Marines had spotted a man, matching the description of thealleged bomber and asked for permission to strike. However, the high command did not grant them permission, saying there were too many civilians nearby.

Watch |Deserted look in Kabul after recent bombings near Hamid Karzai International Airport

Notably, the Central Command's investigation report into the blasts, published in October 2021 stated that owing to the worsening security situation at the airport's Abbey Gate"the attack was not preventable at the tactical level without degrading the mission to maximize the number of evacuees".

Former Marine slams Biden administration

Former Marine Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews who made the claims,during a powerful and emotional testimony before Congress earlier this year, slammed the Biden administration for its apathy in dealing with the situation.

"Plain and simple, we were ignored. My body was overwhelmed from the trauma of the blast. My abdomen had been ripped open. Every inch of my exposed body took ball bearings and shrapnel," said the former US Marine.

"There was an inexcusable lack of accountability and negligence. I see the faces of all of those we could not save, those we left behind," he added.

Read more:Afghanistan: Where did US go wrong in fight against Taliban?

The bombing took place in the afternoon of August 26, 2021, as thousands of civilians, desperate to escape the clutches of the Taliban administration, lined up in masses outside theHamid Karzai International Airport.

The US intelligence failed to anticipate the timeline of the Taliban taking over Kabul which resulted in the chaotic situation and the eventual bombing that led to the death of over 170 Afghans and 13 US servicemen.

(With inputs from agencies)

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