Biden vows to ‘hunt down’ US enemies after suicide bombers kill US servicemen in Kabul
Following a suicide bombing at Kabul airport that left 13 American service members dead and 18 wounded, among dozens of others killed, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett extended “condolences and deep sadness for the loss of American lives” during a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday.
After pledging to “hunt down” those responsible for the attack, the president was briefed by military officials on Friday on the likelihood of “another terror attack” and the “maximum force protection measures” underway at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Military officials also updated the president and vice president “on plans to develop Isis-K targets,” according to statement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
“The next few days of this mission will be the most dangerous period to date,” the statement said.
Injured US service members have been transported to the US Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
Isis-K, a sworn enemy of the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ms Psaki told reporters on Friday that the president has made clear “that he does not want them to live on earth anymore.”
A number of Republican lawmakers have called on the president to resign over the ongoing crisis. GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy said there will be “day of reckoning.”
Ms Psaki dismissed calls from GOP lawmakers, adding that “the backdrop” of their calls “is the men and women of the US military deployed on the ground are bravely continuing to implement a mission to save lives on the ground.”
“Yesterday they lost 13 of their own and the president made absolutely clear that we’re going to hunt down, go after and kill the terrorists who are responsible,” she said. “Everyone should be supportive of that.”
US military officials have stressed that the attack has not stopped evacuations, which will continue until the end of the month as planned. US forces have evacuated roughly 12,500 people over a 24-hour period into early Friday morning, according to the White House. Since the end of July, the US has relocated approximately 110,600 people, the White House said on Friday.
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