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Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Friday that thousands of ISIS-K terrorist members had escaped from prisons in Afghanistan when the government collapsed and the Taliban took over earlier this month.
“Obviously that’s thousands,” Kirby said in response to a question about the number of ISIS terrorists who recently fled. The Taliban emptied the prison at Bagram Air Force Base outside Kabul, where ISIS members were, he said.
He added that the United States believes there is a “specific, credible threat” to Kabul Airport. “We look forward to future attempts at the facility,” Mr. Kirby said.
A terrorist group originating in Syria and Iraq and operating in Afghanistan since at least 2015 has claimed responsibility for the attack on Kabul Airport, which killed dozens of people, including 13 US soldiers, on Thursday. ISIS-K is also known as the Islamic State Korasan, an outdated term for a region that includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other Central Asian countries.
Reportedly, ISIS-K is primarily composed of dissatisfied former Taliban members. The two terrorist groups have fought each other during a burst of sporadic combat over the past few years.
In 2017, former President Donald Trump dropped the largest conventional bomb in the U.S. arsenal known as the “Mother of All Bombs” or MOAB in the cave used by ISIS-K in Afghanistan. I ordered.
2020 ISIS-K Was attacked Afghan prison that killed at least 29 people and released many members. A suicide bomber drove an explosive-filled vehicle to the front gate of the prison before other ISIS terrorists fired at prison guards.
A few days ago, ISIS issued a statement through its weekly publication of Arnava, accusing the Taliban of working with the US West. ISIS has previously accused the Taliban of being an apostate and not fully complying with Shari’a law.
Following Thursday’s attack, President Joe Biden and other White House officials said the United States would retaliate against the terrorist group.
“I know this,” Biden told the attackers in a statement by the White House. “We don’t forgive. I don’t forget. We hunt you down and let you pay.”
“We respond with power and accuracy at our time, at the place we choose, and at the moment we choose,” Biden added. He added that US-led evacuation of Kabul would continue.
“So far, there is no evidence from commanders in this area that there was a collusion between the Taliban and ISIS in carrying out what happened today,” the president said.
But Friday morning, Mr Kirby said US officials weren’t sure if the Taliban were involved in the terrorist attack.
Biden faced intense criticism from members of both major political parties on how his administration handled the withdrawal of Afghanistan and the subsequent collapse of the Afghan government and military. The White House has also downplayed the contradictory statements recently made by various officials, including Biden.
At a press conference on Thursday, Biden took some responsibility for the lapse of security that allowed the terrorist attack, but Biden returned to Trump’s key provisions, but in a deal that former President Donald Trump made with Tullivan. Dealing with pinning some of the responsibilities again.
Jack phillips
Senior reporter
Jack Phillips is a New York-based reporter for The Epoch Times.
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