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The U.S. Air Force said Monday it would take no disciplinary action against personnel who flew from Kabul to Qatar in August with human remains in the well of the wheels of its C-17 cargo plane, and said the crew showed a “solid judgment” in the face of an “unprecedented” security crisis, as dozens of Afghans swarm the plane before takeoff.
Officials, citing an investigation by the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations, called the incident a “tragic event.”
The shocking discovery occurred at Al Udeid Air Force Base in Qatar on August 16 after the crew struggled to close the plane’s landing gear and declared an emergency during the flight, they said in at that time U.S. military officials. This was first reported by The Washington Post.
Scenes of deadly chaos are unfolding at Kabul airport following the return of the Taliban
The day before, Taliban fighters had ravaged the capital of Afghanistan, completing a two-decade conquest and unleashing a surreal scene at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Hordes of Afghan civilians, desperate to escape the incoming regime, landed at Hamid Karzai International Airport, overcame barriers and jumped into the airline in a desperate and futile attempt to chase the huge military plane. Video footage captured during the chaos showed people boarding planes outside.
U.S. military officials at various levels reviewed the Air Force investigation and determined that the C-17 crew “complied with the specific applicable engagement rules for the event and the general law of armed conflict,” he said. Ann Stefanek, a spokeswoman for the service. Commanders determined the crew “acted appropriately” to decide to “fly into the air as soon as possible,” he said.
Thousands of Afghan families remain separated after the disorderly departure from the United States
The United States had withdrawn almost all military personnel from Afghanistan at the time of the Taliban’s takeover, but quickly sent thousands to Kabul to remove U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from the growing crowds. Over the next two weeks, more than 75,000 people were evacuated, although several thousand Afghans were left behind.
The operation, although the Biden administration announced it was a success, was haunted by one misfortune after another. Afghans were killed by at least two U.S. military planes shortly after takeoff. It was unclear Monday whether the Air Force has also cleared these crews of the violations, and the Pentagon has not released any documentation related to the investigation.
A suicide bomber later killed about 200 Afghans and 13 U.S. soldiers in a crowd outside the airport. In response, U.S. forces carried out a drone attack that, after reviewing him, mistakenly targeted an Afghan man working for a U.S. aid group, killing him and several members of his family. No U.S. personnel were disciplined as a result of the incident.
After thousands of Afghans invaded the airport on August 16, U.S. troops attempted to clear the runways with low-flying helicopters. Commanders paused on evacuation flights until they regained control.
Documents reveal US military frustration with White House and diplomats over Afghanistan evacuation
U.S. military personnel, in an investigation published in The Washington Post through the Freedom of Information Act, compared the situation to “The Lord of the Flies,” a novel in which stranded teenagers they must govern. U.S. Marines were attacked inside the airport at the start of the evacuation by what they considered Taliban fighters. They returned fired and killed two, members of the service involved recall.
Four Afghans were crushed to death at the airport during the first four days of the crisis, and U.S. troops remained concerned during the evacuation so that crowds could open a door and riots, investigators said. A Navy official reported that a stun grenade used to control the crowd had killed a civilian.
Brig. General Farrell Sullivan, who oversaw the Marines at the airport, told investigators that the operation is likely to have a lasting impact on those involved.
“I’m not particularly soft, as adversity comes with our homework,” he said, “but this was an extremely difficult situation.”