CENTCOM shoots down Air Drive account of tried hijacking of Afghan evacuation flight

The navy has its alerts crossed relating to an alleged hijacking try on one of many August evacuation flights out of Afghanistan .

After the Air Drive on Tuesday mentioned officers obtained an intelligence tip that 5 individuals on board one of many industrial airline flights “supposed to hijack the plane,” U.S. Central Command, which is answerable for the Center East and huge swaths of Asia, on Thursday instructed the Washington Examiner it was unaware of any such occasion, although they acknowledged there was intelligence that pointed to a potential plot.

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“I’m unaware of any try and hijack a aircraft at Hamad Karzai Worldwide Airport,” mentioned a CENTCOM spokesperson. “Throughout the Afghanistan evacuation mission, an intel tip indicated the potential of a plot to highjack a specific industrial flight that was getting ready to depart the airfield.”

“Floor site visitors controllers diverted the aircraft to a protected location on the airfield the place safety forces boarded the aircraft and decided that there was no energetic try and hijack the plane,” the spokesperson added.

The Air Drive’s assertion didn’t present further particulars about when the incident passed off or the way it was resolved, although Lt. Col. Brian Desautels, 71st Rescue Squadron and Personnel Restoration Job Drive commander mentioned, “Our staff labored to get them away from the NATO ramp, relocated to the north facet away from pleasant forces, then in the end onto the south facet the place the state of affairs was dealt with.”

The conflicting data underscores the chaotic nature of the noncombatant evacuation operation that was launched in mid-August to evacuate People and Afghan allies who might be at risk underneath the newly shaped Taliban authorities, although hundreds have been left behind. Greater than 120,000 individuals have been flown out of Afghanistan, however solely a small proportion turned out to be allies, and greater than 100 People have been left behind.

Because the evacuation efforts have been ongoing, U.S. officers repeatedly warned about intelligence of a potential terror menace from ISIS-Okay , the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State. These fears grew to become a actuality when a suicide bomber, later recognized as Abdul Rehman Loghri , a former prisoner who was launched by the Taliban , detonated a tool close to Abbey Gate outdoors the airport.

13 U.S. service members have been killed within the bombing together with roughly 170 Afghan civilians, whereas 17 different service members have been wounded.