WASHINGTON D.C., DC — The news from Kabul's Hamid Karzai airport Thursday was grim. Thirteen American service members were killed and 15 were wounded in what the Pentagon called a "complex attack."
United States Central Command General Kenneth McKenzie said: "I'd like to offer my profound condolences to the families of our servicemen and women and Afghan civilians who lost their lives today. While we are saddened by the loss of life, both U.S. and Afghan, we continue to execute the mission."
The apparent suicide bombings came, as the U.S. military was racing to complete its Afghanistan evacuation mission by the August 31 deadline set by President Joseph R. Biden.
Late in the day, he said: “The lives we lost today were lives given to the service of liberty, the service of security, the service of others. We will not forgive, we will not forget, we will hunt you down and make you pay."
Prior to Thursday's terrorist attacks, the U.S. and coalition partners had managed to evacuate more than 88,000 people--averaging one evacuation flight every 39 minutes.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Virginia) said: "My thoughts will be with our troops and with the innocent people killed in these brutal acts of terror."
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) said: "My prayers are with the innocent victims and their loved ones."
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) said: "Our service members have been heroic in their efforts to evacuate Americans and Afghans. The terrorist attacks in Kabul are horrific and jeopardize our efforts to evacuate American citizens and our Afghan friends and allies."
Rep. Donald McEachin (R-Virginia 4th District) said: "My thoughts are with their families & all our troops and personnel still in Afghanistan."
And, former President Donald Trump sent his condolences.
In a statement, he said: "This tragedy should never have been allowed to happen, which makes our grief even deeper-- and more difficult to understand."