Kabul Airport bombing was single blast, no gunshots fired, says Pentagon investigation

Washington: A US investigation report into the Islamic State-Khorasan’s suicide bombing at the Kabul airport which took place last year in August found that the attack was a single blast and no one was killed by gunfire from the US or Afghan troops, reported Sputnik.

“The investigation found that a single explosive device killed at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members by explosively directing ball bearings through a packed crowd and into our men and women at Abbey Gate,” said Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Kenneth McKenzie said on Friday.

“The investigation found no definitive proof that anyone was ever hit or killed by gunfire, either US or Afghan,” McKenzie added.

The ball bearings from the blast caused injuries in victims that looked like gunshot wounds, according to the Commander General.

There is no evidence indicating the Taliban knew the IS-K suicide attack would take place, said US Army Brig. Gen. Lance Curtis, the lead investigator into the attack.

Curtis said his team of investigators conducted 70 interviews with witnesses and collected 250 pieces of evidence during the investigation, according to Sputnik.

The Taliban last year led a major offensive in Afghanistan during the withdrawal of US troops from the country and took over in August after the collapse of the former government.