Tulsi Gabbard condemns Kabul blasts, says ISIS and Al-Qaeda threats are 'alive & well'

Former US Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbar on August 27 expressed grief over the lives lost in the Kabul blasts on Thursday, which claimed over 100 lives including 13 US troops. She also warned against the threats from terrorist groups ISIS and Al-Qaeda.

The responsibility for the twin blasts that occurred near Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport has been claimed by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) prompting US President Joe Biden to pledge retaliation and completing the evacuation of Afghans. In a video posted on Twitter, Gabbard condoled the loss of families of US service members.

“Our hearts go out to the families of our brothers and sisters who were killed and wounded in the terrorist attacks in Kabul. Because I'm on active duty, I'm limited to what I can say," Gabbard said. She denounced the incident and noted that threats from terror groups are “alive and well.”

"But what I can say is this incident should remind the American people that ISIS and al-Qaeda are alive and well, and actively continuing to use terror to try to force the world to accept their demand that we convert to their interpretation of Islam," she said. Gabbard also accused the "American power elite" of undermining the terrorist threat for several years for many reasons, "which I will be talking about more in-depth in the near future."

Thursday’s bombings near the international airport in Kabul have reportedly killed at least 95 Afghans along with 13 US troops, as stated by American and Afghan officials. August 26 also marked the deadliest day for the United States soldiers since August 2011. Officials have also noted on Friday that the actual toll of the incidents could be much higher. One of the officials, who spoke to the media on the condition of anonymity, said that other people might have taken bodies away from the scene. 

Biden promises to retaliate

US President Joe Biden promised to retaliate against ISIS-K for the death of US service members and Afghans in the blasts. Biden said, “We will hunt you down and make you pay.”

While the citizens sought to flee the nation, Taliban members with heavy weapons about 500 metres from the airport were preventing anyone from moving forward.

In an emotionally overwhelming speech, Biden blamed the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate, which is considered prominently more radical than the Taliban terrorists. He pledged to ensure the safety of Afghans even as the pressure to extend the Tuesday deadline continues to intensify. The US President also cited the threat of terrorist attacks as one of the reasons for him to stick to the plan of completing evacuation by August 31.

“We will rescue the Americans; we will get our Afghan allies out, and our mission will go on,” Biden said.

Image Credit: AP