President Biden traveled to Dover Air Force Base on Sunday for the dignified transfer of the remains of the 13 U.S. service members killed in an attack on Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
The remains of the service members were flown to the U.S. from Germany on Sunday morning, with a number of family members present for the transfer. The president and first lady Jill Biden met with family members just prior to the transfer.
The arrival of fallen servicemen in the U.S. is referred to as a “dignified transfer” instead of a ceremony so that family members do not feel obligated to attend, although they may do so if they wish.
.@POTUS & Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin look on during the Dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, as one the 13 members of the military that were killed during the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/xTBe9jENMZ
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) August 29, 2021
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley were also present.
President Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, @SecDef Austin and others participate in dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base of 13 service members killed in Afghanistan.
(Note: Video has no audio) pic.twitter.com/s7EOMCGEXz
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 29, 2021
.@POTUS & @FLOTUS as they arrive at Dover Air Force Base to meet with the families of the fallen American service members who were killed in Afghanistan last week. pic.twitter.com/KCI6xGMsRE
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) August 29, 2021
“The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others,” Biden said in a statement on Saturday.
The service members were killed along with close to 200 Afghans in an attack Thursday by ISIS Khorasan, the terror group’s central Asian affiliate. A suicide bomber affiliated with the group detonated an improvised explosive device outside the airport’s Abbey Gate, killing and maiming the Afghans awaiting entry to the airfield and the Marines admitting them, who were preparing to frisk the bomber.
The attack marked the deadliest single day for American troops in the war in Afghanistan since 2011.
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