United States President, Joe Biden on Sunday participated in a dignified transfer event to honour the return of the remains of service members who were killed in the attack that happened outside the Kabul airport in Afghanistan.
Gatekeepers News reports that 13 U.S service members and about 95 Afghans were killed in a twin explosions on Thursday. The Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), an affiliate of ISIL (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.
The fallen service members were guarding the Kabul airport as part of the airlift to evacuate Americans and Afghan refugees from Afghanistan’s capital, following the Taliban takeover.
Biden, alongside his wife, Jill Biden arrived early Sunday at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, dressed in black. The couple who were joined by other high-ranking officials like the chiefs of four military service branches, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, also met with the families of the fallen service members.
In the solemn event, Biden and others saluted or put their hands over their hearts as pallbearers slowly carried each flag-draped casket off a C-17 military transport plane and into black vans waiting nearby.
The 11 service members honoured at the event were Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, Marine Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover, Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosariopichardo, Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, Marine Cpl. Daegan Page, Marine Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, Marine Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui and Navy Hospitalman Maxton Soviak. Most were in their early 20s.
Gatekeepers News reports that families of the two other slain Marines did not participate in the public event.
