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Parents of the U.S. service members who lost their lives in the August 2021 suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the Afghanistan withdrawal are calling for the Biden administration to be held responsible after the Taliban eliminated the ISIS mastermind behind the attack. According to a senior official, the ISIS-K terrorist responsible for the suicide bombing at the Abbey Gate entrance on August 26, 2021, was killed in a ‘Taliban operation.’ The tragic incident claimed the lives of 13 American service members – 11 Marines, one Navy sailor, and one Army soldier, while also injuring 18 other service members and causing over 150 civilian casualties.
Previously, it had been reported that the suicide bomber had once been a detainee at Bagram Air Base, only to be released on August 15, 2021, after the base fell under Taliban control. Relatives of the fallen service members were informed this week about the operation which resulted in the death of the ISIS-K operative. However, they were not given any detailed information, such as the name of the individual or specifics about the operation itself.
Darin Hoover, the father of Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, aged 31, a Marine from Utah who was killed during the suicide bombing, spoke out about the recent news. Despite the fact that the administration is celebrating the removal of the terrorist from the battlefield, Hoover believes that the Biden administration still needs to be held accountable for the tragedy. He expressed his frustration and said, ‘It seems like they’re taking a victory lap for the entire administration because the Afghanistan crisis is over, and done with, and now we’ve taken care of the main planner, or the Taliban did, so this can all be pushed behind us. Well, that’s just bull.’
In addition to Hoover, Cheryl Rex, the mother of Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, also expressed her disagreement with the idea that the terrorist’s elimination signifies an accomplishment. Both Rex and Hoover revealed to the media that President Biden never personally contacted the families after the terrible attack in 2021. Instead, they each received an identical letter from the President. Hoover commented, ‘No personal communication; nothing.’
Hoover further mentioned that they haven’t received any official contact from the State Department, the administration, or the Pentagon. Rex spoke out about the loss of their children and said, ‘What happened to our kids should have never happened. The shock and the way we were treated after these kids, the military and everyone in Afghanistan—they all deserve to be praised for saving lives, not pushed away.’ She added, ‘Those kids never received any acknowledgment at all.’
Regarding the concerns of the Gold Star families, White House National Security Council strategic communications coordinator John Kirby offered a response. ‘Our hearts go out to those Gold Star families. We share their grief and can only imagine the pain and heartbreak they have and continue to experience. Their loved ones were heroes who saved lives as part of the largest airlift evacuation operation in history,’ he said.
Kirby also stated that the Biden administration will carry on taking action against terrorists, as they did when eliminating the global leader of ISIS and the leader of al-Qaeda. He emphasized that President Biden will persist in implementing any necessary measures to protect the United States from threats, irrespective of their origins.
In the meantime, Rex lovingly described her son, who died on his first deployment, as a generous, affectionate, and outgoing individual who valued family, country, and God. Likewise, Hoover referred to his son as ‘the anti-bully’ and the ‘defender of the little guy.’ He proudly stated, ‘He is one hell of a patriot, and I can’t take that away from him. He was an amazing man, and his legacy will never be taken away from him.’
Although a senior administration official was unable to release the name of the responsible ISIS-K operative, they did confirm to the media that the individual was considered to be ‘the mastermind of that awful attack’ who ‘directed that awful attack.’ It was also disclosed that the individual was still engaged in attempts to perpetrate violence and remained a prominent figure within ISIS-K.
Moreover, the official stated that they were not informed about the Taliban operation beforehand, but instead discovered it through U.S intelligence channels. Building on this, the official clarified that the United States did not partake in a joint operation with the Taliban, asserting that it was solely a Taliban-led operation.
The official considered the operation as emblematic of the current landscape in Afghanistan, which he explained is becoming increasingly challenging for terrorists like ISIS-K to operate in and carry out external plots that might threaten American citizens.
Those service members who were tragically killed in the suicide bombing while trying to help save American citizens and their Afghan allies were named as follows: Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, aged 31, a Marine from Utah; Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, aged 20, a Marine from California; Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, aged 25, a Marine from Massachusetts; Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, aged 23, a Marine from California; Cpl. Hunter Lopez, aged 22, a Marine from California; Cpl. Daegan W. Page, aged 23, a Marine from Nebraska; Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, aged 22, a Marine from Indiana; Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, aged 20, a Marine from Texas; Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, aged 20, a Marine from Missouri; Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, aged 20, a Marine from Wyoming; Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, aged 20, a Marine from California; Navy Hospital Corpsman Max Soviak, aged 22, from Ohio; and Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, aged 23, an Army soldier from Tennessee.
The tragic loss of these courageous individuals not only left a void in the hearts of their families but also leaves lingering questions regarding the administration’s accountability in handling the situation in Afghanistan. As the situation continues and the families of those lost demand answers, one can only hope that those responsible for the attack have been brought to justice and further attacks can be prevented.
The ongoing debate around the Biden administration’s accountability intensifies as the information regarding the Taliban’s operation comes to light. While the administration applauds the elimination of the dangerous ISIS-K mastermind, the families of the service members who tragically lost their lives in the attack see it as less of an accomplishment and more of a reminder of the loss they have suffered.
It remains to be seen how the administration will address the concerns of the grieving families and the broader ramifications of the Afghanistan withdrawal on national security. Regardless of the politics and shifting landscapes in the region, it is vital to continue honoring and remembering the service and sacrifice of those brave men and women who tragically lost their lives working towards the safety and freedom of others.