'We will hunt you down': Joe Biden vows revenge for deadly Kabul airport attack

The US president has also reaffirmed the 31 August deadline for troops to leave Afghanistan and says forces will fly out as many people as possible before that date.

United States President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul

United States President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul Source: ABACA

Joe Biden has vowed the United States will hunt down those responsible for .

The US president - speaking hours after the blasts killed a dozen American troops and wounded more, the worst day of casualties for US forces there in a decade - says he has asked the Pentagon to develop plans to strike back at them.

"We will not forgive, we will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay," he said in remarks at the White House.

The Afghan affiliate of the so-called Islamic State group, known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), has claimed responsibility for the attack, which also killed dozens of Afghans.

"I have also ordered my commanders to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership and facilities. We will respond with force and precision at our time, at the place we choose and the moment of our choosing," Mr Biden said.
US President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks about the bombings at the Kabul airport
US President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks about the bombings at the Kabul airport Source: AP
Mr Biden also reaffirmed the 31 August deadline for all US troops to leave Afghanistan had not changed and said forces would fly out as many people as possible before then.

There remains an "opportunity for the next several days, between now and the 31st, to be able to get them out," he said.

"Knowing the threat, knowing that we may very well have another attack, the military has concluded that that's what we should do. I think they are right," he said.

Mr Biden also said he has seen no evidence that the Taliban colluded with ISIS-K in carrying out the deadly attacks.



"There is no evidence thus far that I've been given as a consequence by any of the commanders in the field that there has been collusion between the Taliban and ISIS in carrying out what happened today," he said.

With AFP.


Share
Published 27 August 2021 8:24am
Updated 22 February 2022 2:02pm
Source: Reuters, SBS



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world