2021 Abbey Gate attack in Kabul: Marine snipers did not spot ISIS-K suicide bomber, review finds.
A US military review found that Marine snipers did not spot the ISIS-K suicide bomber during the Abbey Gate attack at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport in August 2021. The review, which relies on facial recognition technology and interviews with Marines, concluded that the Marines conflated intelligence reports with unverified spot reports, leading to confusion. The review also disputed claims that troops were denied permission to shoot the bomber, mirroring previous investigations from February 2022. The review emphasizes that the bombing, which killed 13 American service members and around 170 Afghans, was not preventable at the tactical level.
April 15, 2024
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