Afghanistan evacuation: Rockets fired at Kabul amidst US withdrawal

The past few weeks saw the US and other nations evacuate tens of thousands of Afghans and other nationals from Afghanistan upon the resurgence of the Taliban in the nation. Amidst evacuation efforts ahead of the withdrawal completion, rockets were reportedly fired at Kabul airport.

Following last week’s bombing at the area of the airport, a rocket was launched at Kabul Monday amidst the US’ completion of its withdrawal of Afghans and Americans looking to flee from the country. The withdrawal will bring to an end an almost 20-year conflict brought on by the US in retaliation for the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The withdrawal also came as the Islamic militant group Taliban resurfaced in the heels of the evacuation efforts.

Over 100,000 Afghans and Americans have already been evacuated by the US during the past few weeks. The White House also confirmed Monday that a rocket attack had occurred, but the evacuations remain. This also follows warnings from US President Joe Biden that more attacks may be likely to happen just as the US was already on its last stretch of evacuations.

The US had also said it carried out a drone strike Sunday night on a car bomb prepared by the ISIS-K militant group, known rivals of the Taliban in the region. The same militant group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing last week that led to dozens of Afghan casualties and 13 American troops dead. Regarding the latest rockets that were fired, a Taliban official said the rockets were destroyed by the airport’s missile defense systems.

Meanwhile, FRANCE 24 analyzed the misconceptions that surrounded the almost 20-year military occupation of Afghanistan that has been paired with the partisan politics in the US and resulting in different interpretations of the reality in Afghanistan. The outlet noted that both Biden and his disgraced predecessor Donald Trump had promised their voters that they would put an end to the conflict, with Biden pulling through on the promise with overwhelming support from US veterans, including those who served in Afghanistan.

Among the misconceptions that surrounded the conflict included the links of the Taliban to Al-Qaeda and Pakistan, as well as its supposed upgraded image from how the insurgent group moved in the 1990s.