Head of Catholic apostolate commemorates Kabul airport blast that killed 13 American service members, 170 Afghan citizens

CV NEWS FEED // The president of the Vulnerable People Project (VPP), a Catholic apostolate, is speaking out on the third anniversary of the terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed 13 American service members and 170 Afghan citizens.

“Today marks the third anniversary of the tragic and unnecessary deaths of 13 American service members and 170 Afghan allies, casualties of the thoughtless, hamfisted, and catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan,” VPP President Jason Jones said in a statement to CatholicVote:

These brave souls perished in an attack that could have been avoided, and their sacrifice, along with the dedication of countless others who served during America’s two decades in Afghanistan, was cruelly discarded by the reckless manner of our departure.

Furthermore, over 150,000 Afghan allies, including those who were promised Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), were left to fend for themselves, abandoned by those who promised to protect them. 

On August 26, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan, a suicide bombing took place at Abbey Gate, an entrance to Hamid Karzai International Airport. Abbey Gate “became widely known following the tragic events of August 26, 2021, during the U.S.-led evacuation after the Taliban’s takeover of the country,” Jones said.

The blast killed the 13 service members “who were screening the thousands of Afghans frantically trying to get onto one of the crowded flights leaving the country after the Taliban takeover,” Jones explained. 

VPP has worked to help the people of Afghanistan every day since the attack. 

“While the U.S. government has faltered, the Vulnerable People Project has stayed true to its mission, remaining in Afghanistan to evacuate SIVs and allies, provide shelter, and deliver essential supplies like food and coal,” Jones said. “VPP’s continued work is a testament to the commitment and care that was so disastrously lacking during the withdrawal.”

He concluded, “Let this anniversary serve as a somber reminder of the catastrophic consequences of these reckless decisions and a call to honor the promises we made.”