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US Department of War says newly found classified documents could shed light on Abbey gate bombing
The attack killed 13 US service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians.
The US Department of War says an ongoing investigation into the deadly 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul has uncovered previously undiscovered classified documents that are now being examined by a special review panel.
Sean Parnell, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of War, announced the development in a social media post marking the fifth anniversary of the bombing at Abbey Gate of Kabul’s then-Hamid Karzai International Airport.
The attack killed 13 US service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians.
According to Parnell, his team recently recovered highly relevant classified documents that should have been disclosed but were found stored in safes and hidden in places where they would not be easily discovered.
He said that after the documents were recovered and reviewed by the special panel, it became clear why someone may have attempted to conceal them. However, Parnell said he would not prematurely reveal the contents of the classified material.
“I’m not going to give you a convenient version of the truth, nor will I give you a rushed one,” Parnell said, stressing that investigators would follow the evidence wherever it leads and would not accept incomplete answers.
The special review panel was established last year, when Secretary of War Pete Hegseth appointed Parnell to lead the investigation. Hegseth said the review was being conducted on behalf of the American people and the families of those killed in the attack.
The panel’s work follows a supplemental review by US Central Command in April 2024, which upheld the findings of the military’s original investigation and concluded that the attack could not have been prevented at the tactical level.
While Parnell did not provide a timeline for completing the review, he pledged that the investigation would be thorough and would provide the full picture of how and why decisions surrounding the attack were made.
“The American people and the families who sacrificed everything are owed the full picture,” he said, promising to continue the investigation until it is completed.
Shahabuddin Delawar, president of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), met with Richard Lindsay, the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, to discuss the country’s humanitarian situation and ways to expand assistance for vulnerable communities.
According to ARCS, the meeting focused on support for people affected by natural disasters, Afghan returnees and other vulnerable groups, particularly their urgent humanitarian and healthcare needs.
Delawar thanked the United Kingdom for its humanitarian assistance to people affected by natural disasters and briefed Lindsay on the ARCS’s humanitarian and healthcare activities.
He highlighted the society’s services for children with congenital heart defects at its cardiac hospital, vocational training and skills development programs for vulnerable women and children across seven regional zones, mental healthcare services, and assistance to communities affected by natural disasters.
Delawar said decades of hardship had left many Afghans facing mental health challenges, while vulnerable families continued to struggle with difficult living conditions. He stressed the need for expanded humanitarian assistance and healthcare support.
Referring to the return of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries, Delawar said many families urgently need shelter, food, non-food items and medical services. He called for greater UK cooperation to help meet returnees’ basic needs.
Lindsay praised the ARCS’s humanitarian work and pledged continued cooperation in supporting returnees and other humanitarian initiatives in the coming year. He also said he would seek to facilitate effective cooperation with the society in the healthcare sector.
Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation to expand humanitarian assistance, support vulnerable communities and improve healthcare services in Afghanistan.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met with Yatin Patel, India’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul, on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Muttaqi emphasized that, in line with its balanced foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate attaches importance to relations with India.
Referring to the growing volume of trade between the two countries, he stressed the need to strengthen communication and cooperation between Afghanistan’s and India’s public and private sectors, adding that cooperation should be expanded to make better use of existing capacities.
Meanwhile, Yatin Patel said India seeks to expand its relations and engagement with Afghanistan in the economic, political and humanitarian fields.
Muttaqi also wished Patel success in his new assignment.
Mohammad Naeem, Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met on Wednesday with Richard Lindsay, the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides discussed Afghanistan’s political, economic and security situation, regional stability, humanitarian assistance and consular services.
Naeem expressed appreciation for the UK’s humanitarian assistance and cooperation with Afghanistan and stressed the importance of continuing cooperation between the two sides.
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