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The U.S. Air Force said Monday it would not take disciplinary action against personnel who flew from Kabul to Qatar in August with human remains on the wheels of their C-17 cargo plane, saying the crew showed “sound judgment” in the face. an “unprecedented” security crisis as dozens of Afghans stormed the plane before takeoff.
Officials, citing an investigation by the Air Force’s Special Investigations Service, called the incident a “tragic event”.
The horrific discovery happened at Al Udaid Air Base in Qatar on August 16, after the crew struggled to close the landing gear of the plane and declared a state of emergency during the flight, US military officials said at the time. This was first reported by The Washington Post.
Scenes of deadly chaos unfold at Kabul airport after Taliban return
The day before, Taliban fighters invaded the Afghan capital, ending a two-decade conquest and creating a surreal scene at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Hordes of Afghan civilians, desperate to escape the incoming regime, landed at Hamid Karzai International Airport, overcoming barriers and pouring onto the flight line in a desperate, futile attempt to pursue the huge military plane. Videos taken during the chaos show people climbing from the outside of taxiing planes.
U.S. military officials at several levels reviewed the Air Force investigation and determined that the C-17 crew was “in compliance with applicable event-specific rules of conduct and overall armed conflict legislation,” said Anne Stefanek, a spokeswoman for the service. The commanders determined that the crew had “acted correctly” and decided to “get up in the air as soon as possible”, she said.
Thousands of Afghan families remain torn apart after a confused departure from the United States
The United States withdrew almost all of its military personnel from Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover, but quickly sent thousands to Kabul to pull American citizens and Afghan allies out of the rising mob. Over 75,000 people were evacuated over the next two weeks, although several thousand Afghans were abandoned.
The operation, although declared by the Biden administration to be successful, was overwhelmed by one misfortune after another. Afghans were killed by at least two US warplanes shortly after takeoff. It was unclear on Monday whether the Air Force had also cleared these crews of wrongdoing, and the Pentagon has not released any documentation related to the investigation.
A suicide bomber later killed nearly 200 Afghans and 13 American soldiers while crushing people outside the airport. In response, U.S. forces struck a drone that, after a search, mistakenly targeted an Afghan working for a U.S. relief group, killing him and several family members. As a result of this incident, no American staff was disciplined.
After thousands of Afghans took over the airport on August 16, US troops tried to clear the runways with low-flying helicopters. The commanders briefly halted the evacuation flights until they regained control.
Documents reveal frustration of US military with White House and diplomats over evacuation from Afghanistan
U.S. military personnel in an investigation published for The Washington Post through the Freedom of Information Act likened the situation to “The Lord of the Flies,” a novel in which blocked teenagers must control themselves. The US Marines came under fire at the airport early in the evacuation of what they considered Taliban fighters. They returned fired, killing two, servicemen recall.
Four Afghans were crushed to death at the airport during the first four days of the crisis, and US troops remained concerned during the evacuation that crowds could break through the gate and revolt, investigators said. A Marine officer said a stunning grenade used to control the crowd killed a civilian.
Brig. General Farrell Sullivan, who was watching the Marines at the airport, told investigators that the operation was likely to have a lasting impact on those involved.
“I’m not very soft, because the troubles come with our obligations,” he said, “but it was an extremely challenging situation.”
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