Fifth Anniversary: Honoring 13 U.S. Service Members Lost in Abbey Gate Attack

Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.

At 5:36 p.m. on August 26, 2021, an ISIS-K terrorist detonated a body-worn bomb at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan. The attack killed 13 American service members, wounded 45 others, and injured over 160 civilians. The attacker was reportedly among thousands of prisoners released by the Taliban two months earlier.

The service members honored are Staff Sergeant Ryan C. Knauss, Staff Sergeant Darin T. Hoover, Sergeant Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Sergeant Nicole L. Gee, Corporal Hunter Lopez, Corporal Daegan W. Page, Corporal Humberto A. Sanchez, Lance Corporal David L. Espinoza, Lance Corporal Jared M. Schmitz, Lance Corporal Rylee J. McCollum, Lance Corporal Dylan R. Merola, Lance Corporal Kareem M. Nikoui, and Petty Officer Third Class Maxton W. Soviak.

The United States had engaged in a 20-year campaign in Afghanistan to counter terrorism and remove the Taliban from power. The withdrawal strategy was later described as rushed and poorly executed, resulting in the loss of strategic advantage. On July 2, 2021, U.S. forces left Bagram Airfield overnight without notifying Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, leading to the base's capture and the release of thousands of prisoners by the Taliban.

Kabul fell soon afterward, requiring a hurried evacuation from Hamid Karzai International Airport. The administration stated its commitment to support service members and military families while aiming to prevent similar failures in the future.