Single suicide bomber behind Kabul airport attack, Pentagon reveals, correcting ‘complex’ mission report

A Pentagon investigation found that the August bombing outside the Kabul airport was masterminded by a single suicide bomber, and was not a ‘complex’ attack like officials initially thought.

On Friday, General Frank McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, shared the investigation’s findings into the bombing that killed 11 Marines, 1 Army soldier and 1 Navy soldier, along with over 170 Afghans.

‘The investigation found that a single, explosive device killed at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US servicemembers by explosively directing ball bearings through a packed crowd and into our men and women at Abbey gate,’ McKenzie said.

McKenzie acknowledged the investigation’s findings were drastically different from what the Pentagon initially believed.

‘The best information we had in the immediate aftermath of the attack indicated it was a complex attack by both a suicide bomber and an ISIS-K gunman,’ McKenzie said. ‘We now know that the explosively fired ball bearings that caused wounds that look like gunshots.’

The months-long investigation into the ISIS-K terror attack in Kabul concluded that the mission was conducted by a single suicide bomber whose explosive vest was packed with ball bearings, which caused wounds that looked similar to gunshots.

The explosion wounded at least 45 US troops, and caused some severe brain injuries, USA Today reported.

In the aftermath of the attack, investigators interviewed over 100 people and found that military leaders had acted appropriately to protect US forces.

‘This was a terrible attack that resulted in tragic outcomes and a horrific loss of life both Afghan and American,’ McKenzie said, adding that medical personnel on the ground in Kabul ‘saved every life they possibly could through heroic efforts.’

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