US Keeps Pressure on Afghan Terror Threats One Year After Withdrawal, Biden Says
14:52 GMT 26.08.2022 (Updated: 09:05 GMT 10.02.2023)
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States is keeping up the pressure on terrorist threats emanating from Afghanistan one year after the US military’s departure from the country, which included an Daesh* attack at the Kabul airport that killed 13 US service members and at least 170 Afghans one year ago today, President Joe Biden said on Friday.
"One year ago, 13 proud and patriotic American service members, as well as more than 100 innocent Afghan civilians, were killed in a heinous terrorist attack at Abbey Gate outside the Kabul Airport," Biden said in a statement. "We now maintain pressure against terrorist threats without keeping thousands of troops in harm’s way on the ground in Afghanistan. And my Administration will continue to hunt down terrorists who seek to harm the United States, wherever they may be."
The branch of Daesh in the Khorasan Province claimed responsibility for the Kabul airport attack, prompting the US to redouble efforts against the terror group and others like it, Biden also said. Biden pointed to the US killing of the Daesh chief in February, as well as the elimination of the leader of al-Qaeda* in Kabul last month as examples of US counterterror efforts.
A fatally wounded US soldier is carried by comrades during fighting in Afghanistan in August 2011.
© JOHANNES EISELE
The US will never be able to repay the sacrifice of the 2,461 soldiers that died during the over 20-year long war in Afghanistan, Biden said. Over 20,000 other US service members were wounded while serving in the country, further reminding the US that there is "nothing low-cost" about war, according to Biden.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a statement on Friday called on Americans to pause in remembrance of the service of the fallen US troops in Afghanistan. The service members lost in the airport attack one year ago gave their own lives to help save those of Afghans seeking "freedom and opportunity," Austin added.
*Daesh and al-Qaeda are terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other nations
