The 2021 Kabul airport attack is recorded as one of the most lethal suicide bombings in Afghanistan's history. The assault resulted in the death of at least 183 individuals, comprising 170 Afghan civilians and 13 U.S. military personnel. The Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for the attack. It marked the first U.S. military fatalities in the War in Afghanistan since February 2020 and significantly hindered the evacuation operations underway in the nation. 

Photo at right: A U.S. Marine assists at a checkpoint during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, August 26, 2021. U.S. Marine Corps/Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla/Handout via REUTERS. In the Public Domain.

The incident took place on 26 August 2021, at 17:50 local time, amidst the Afghanistan evacuation efforts. A mix of local and international civilians had congregated at Abbey Gate, an entry point to the airport, awaiting evacuation. It was here that a suicide bomber, known as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, set off an explosive device. The blast was so intense that it propelled several individuals into the air, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries. Among the victims were Afghan civilians, US military personnel, and citizens from various nations. 

Following the explosion, gunfire broke out, leading to the closure of all airport gates. U.S. officials reported that ISIS-K militants fired into the crowd post-explosion, prompting return fire from US troops. Some eyewitnesses have suggested that the gunfire directed into the crowd, and the resulting fatalities, were partly due to panic among US forces. On 28 August, the Pentagon conceded that US actions may have contributed to some of the fatalities. The explosion took place near a canal where US forces were verifying the passports, visas, and other documents of evacuees before granting them entry into the airport. 

The assault was a stark reminder of the escalating menace from ISIS-K, known for perpetrating numerous lethal assaults in Afghanistan over the past years. This group is a branch of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also referred to as ISIS. ISIS-K's objective is to create a caliphate within the region and stands in opposition to the Taliban. Historically, the Taliban have combated ISIS-K and have collaborated with U.S. forces to secure the airport.  

After the attack, the United States carried out an airstrike targeting three suspected ISIS-K members in Nangarhar Province. A subsequent drone strike in Kabul aimed at a vehicle believed to be transporting ISIS-K operatives mistakenly struck an Afghan aid worker's car. This strike resulted in the tragic death of ten Afghan civilians, including seven children. 

The attack has sparked widespread condemnation from the international community, with leaders of various countries expressing their condolences to the families of the victims. The United States vowed to continue with its evacuation efforts despite the attack, and its military forces continued to hold the airport until the final withdrawal on 31 August, which marked the end of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. 

The U.S. Army Central Command, having ordered a supplemental review in September 2023, concluded after two years that no new information from public testimony since March 2023 materially affected the original investigation's conclusions. The review also verified that the attack was executed by a single ISIS-K suicide bomber and was not preventable at the tactical level, as explained by the supplemental review team in a recent briefing. 

Photo at right: 27 August 2021: HAMID KARZAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Afghanistan. U.S. service members assigned to Joint Task Force-Crisis Response are pallbearers for the service members killed in action during operations at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Aug. 27. U.S. service members are assisting the Department of State with a Non-Combatant Evacuation operation (NEO) in Afghanistan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1stLt. Mark Andries). In the Public Domain.

The disastrous withdrawal remains a significant disgrace on then-U.S. President Joe Biden's decision-making and weak leadership, contradicting his key campaign promise to voters of restoring sound decision-making and professionalism to the White House. Biden's administration left billions of dollars' worth of U.S. military equipment in Afghanistan, and there have been varying reports about the number of Americans remaining in the country. Some sources suggest that the equipment left behind is valued at approximately $7 billion, and estimates of the number of Americans range from under 200 to several hundred.

Names of those U.S. service members killed. Learn more about them here.

Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, (USMC) 

Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss (US Army) 

Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, (USMC) 

Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, (USMC) 

Cpl. Hunter Lopez, (USMC)

Cpl. Daegan W. Page, (USMC) 

Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, (USMC) 

Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, (USMC) 

Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, (USMC) 

Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, (USMC) 

Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, (USMC) 

Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, (USMC) 

Navy Corpsman Maxton Soviak (USN)

Bibliography: 

Dunleavy, Jerry, and James Hasson. Kabul: The Untold Story of Biden's Fiasco and the American Warriors Who Fought to the End. New York: Center Street, 2023. 

"FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2021 KABUL AIRPORT ATTACK." Marines.mil - Official Website of the United States Marine Corps. Last modified August 26, 2022. https://www.marines.mil/News/Marines-TV/videoid/855503/. 

"Kabul Airport Attack Review Reaffirms Initial Findings, Identifies Attacker." U.S. Department of Defense. Last modified April 15, 2024. https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3741245/kabul-airport-attack-review-reaffirms-initial-findings-identifies-attacker/.