The United States military conducted a drone strike on Friday against ISIS-K in Afghanistan just one day after the terrorist group claimed responsibility for the bombing at Kabul’s airport that left 13 U.S. troops dead.
The Pentagon confirmed the airstrike in a statement from Central Command spokesperson Capt. Bill Urban late Friday night.
“U.S. military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation today against an ISIS-K planner. The unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangahar Province of Afghanistan. Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties,” the statement said.
The terrorist group claimed responsibility for the bombing at the Kabul airport on Thursday that killed 13 U.S. service members and at least 95 Afghans. More than 100 were injured in the explosion.
In remarks late Thursday, President Joe Biden vowed to respond “with force” to those ISIS-K terrorists who committed the act, promising to “hunt them down”.
“To those who carried out this attack as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive, we will not forget, we will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said. “We will respond with force and precision at our time, at the place we chose, and at the moment of our choosing.”
He went further, promising that “we will rescue the Americans who are there, we will get our Afghan allies out.”
The unnamed ISIS-K fighter was thought to be involved in planning for future attacks and was riding in a vehicle with one associate at the time of the strike.
As of Friday, 5,000 troops remain on the ground in Afghanistan with days to go until all U.S. troops must withdrawal according to Biden’s date despite the pressure he has gotten to extend the deadline.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on Friday that over 105,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan approximately 110,600 people have been relocated since the end of July.
This story has been updated with more information.
