Washington: Warning the perpetrators of the Kabul attack, US President Joe Biden said “We will not forgive. We will not forget.
Biden spoke hours after the blasts killed at least 13 American troops and scores of civilians, the worst day of casualties for U.S. forces there in a decade.
The United States would hunt down those responsible for twin explosions at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan and said he had asked the Pentagon to develop plans to strike back at them.
The Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), previously affiliated with militants fighting US forces in Syria and Iraq, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
“We won’t forgive, we won’t forget. We’ll find you and make you pay,” Biden said in remarks at the White House.
He promised that the US evacuation would continue.
“We will not be deterred by terrorists, we will not let them stop our mission. We will continue the evacuations,” he said.
Biden said he had ordered US military commanders to develop an operational plan to attack ISIS-K assets, leadership, and facilities.
“We will find ways of our choosing to achieve them, without major military operations,” he said.
He appears to be fighting back tears and his voice is filled with emotion as he talks about the American “heroes” who died.
He ordered flags at the White House and public buildings to be halved across the country.
“It’s been a tough day,” he said.
The president said he had told the U.S. military: “Whatever they need if they need additional force, I will grant it.”
Biden defended his handling of the most serious foreign policy crisis, saying it was ultimately his responsibility, while blaming his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, for the 2020 deal Trump negotiated with the Taliban.
He said he does not trust the Taliban but believes it is in the group’s best interest to continue the evacuation.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and like us on Facebook for the latest updates and interesting stories.
