Controversy has arisen over the Pentagon’s official narrative of the Kabul airport attack during the 2021 evacuation, as new GoPro footage provides a contrasting perspective.
According to Daily Mail, footage from a Marine's GoPro reveals gunfire at Kabul Airport post-bomb explosion, contrasting with initial reports stating only minimal shots were fired.
In August 2021, Kabul Airport became the scene of a devastating attack, taking the lives of 13 U.S. service members and over 160 Afghan nationals. Originally, the U.S. Department of Defense maintained the attack was executed solely by an ISIS-K suicide bomber.
However, CNN recently secured video evidence recorded by a U.S. Marine present during the incident. The GoPro footage captures 11 bursts of gunfire spanning nearly four minutes, starkly contrasting with the Pentagon’s claim of only three warning shots by U.S. and British troops.
Moreover, at least twelve U.S. service members confirmed they heard multiple gunshots. Significantly, one reported it originated from a vicinity near U.S. Marines.
Medical evidence and witness accounts corroborate gunfire
Dr. Sayeed Ahmadi, a local physician, recounted treating numerous gunshot wounds among the victims that day. According to Dr. Ahmadi, unlike wounds typically associated with an explosion, several victims had distinct bullet injuries to vital areas such as the chest and head.
In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, confusion and chaos dominated. Yet, witnesses like Shogofa Hamidi vividly recollected the grim scene where people trying to escape the blast were met with gunfire. Despite conflicting reports, the Pentagon strongly maintains that the commotion might have been misinterpreted due to the explosive’s concussive effects.
An audio forensic analysis of the recorded footage identified a minimum of 43 shots after the explosion, contradicting previous statements.
Army Lt. Col. Rob Lodewick, a Pentagon spokesman, upheld the official stance in response to these emerging discrepancies. "The supplemental review found no new evidence of a complex attack and uncovered no new assertions of outgoing fire post-blast. Consequently, the Supplemental Review found no materialistic impact to the original findings of the Abbey Gate investigation," he explained.
Soldiers' testimonials shed light on the ground reality
Christian Sanchez, a combatant stationed at the airport, described his experience well. "All I see is flashes. And all I could hear was ringing. Like all I hear is ringing and f**king flashes going on. And I start hearing snaps. And I start realizing that that's a f**king dude shooting at me. And I just started shooting at the dude," recounted Sanchez.
Sgt. Romel Finley similarly conveyed the urgency felt by troops on the ground: "My platoon sergeant running past us, saying 'get back on that wall and shoot back at those motherf**kers.' So I was like, we are in a gunfight too."
These firsthand accounts provide a distinctly human element to the recollections of that tragic day, emphasizing the split-second decisions made under extreme stress.
Conclusion
In August 2021, a perilous situation unfolded at Kabul Airport, leading to numerous deaths and injuries. Official reports framed the incident as an attack by a lone ISIS-K bomber, but recent video footage and testimonies present a narrative involving significant gunfire, which was initially downplayed. Medical evidence supports this view, with numerous individuals treated for bullet wounds.
This conflicting information highlights the complex and chaotic nature of battlefield reports and the challenges in accurately piecing together events amidst chaos, thus urging a continuous examination of the facts as new evidence comes to light.
