The president called the dozen fallen service members “heroes” and recommitted to completing the U.S. mission in Afghanistan by Aug. 31.
President Joe Biden on Thursday vowed to make terrorists “pay” for the deadly attacks that killed 13 U.S. service members and wounded many others when ISIS militants set off multiple bombs outside of Kabul’s main airport earlier in the day.
“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 during an evening news conference. “I will defend our interests and our people with every measure at my command.”
The president said that he believes the U.S. knows who the attackers are and that the military will “get them, wherever they are.” Biden said he told his commanders he would grant additional forces if needed to respond to the latest attacks, while acknowledging there might be more to come. But for the time being, he said military leaders had agreed to stick to the mission as designed.