Talk:Abbey Gate massacre

Baron Hotel explosion?
There were/said to be two explosions, near Baron Hotel (istishhadi attack carried out by Abdul Rahman al-Logari, acknowledged by IS-K), and at Abbey gate outside Kabul airport.
 * according to US sources, at Abbey Gate. Baron Hotel location appeared on some unofficial social media not giving detailed account of ISK claims (although capable of knowing them).

I am not sure whether latter attack was claimed. --Resup (talk) 18:38, 28 August 2021 (UTC)


 * Americans now say there was no second explosion at the Baron Hotel. Baron Hotel is on of three hotels inside the fortified compound outside the airport perimeter, just opposite the Abbey Gate. A ditch or canal separates them. In the BBC video you can identify the hotel compound from the rounded guard towers at its corners. The explosion seems to have happened on the airport side of the canal, but blast marks are seen on the wall of the hotel compound on the other side of the canal. -- Petri Krohn (talk) 19:04, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

CNN et al.: “I can confirm for you that we do not believe that there was a second explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, that it was one suicide bomber. We’re not sure how that report was provided incorrectly,” Army Maj. Gen. William "Hank" Taylor, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations, told reporters Friday." --Resup (talk) 21:19, 28 August 2021 (UTC)
 * If they understood the geography, they would know the blast happened exactly between the Abbey Gate and the Baron Hotel. Both sites must have reported on it independently. -- Petri Krohn (talk) 21:44, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

Shooting victims
Casualty count appears too high for a single istishhadi attack on foot (even for a double attack like this). Deaths due to shooting (or stampede, or both) appears likely. Witness reports are troubling. But, we do not know exactly what happened. It is fairly normal for men in the area to be armed. Westerners, contractors are also armed. There is no active war but they are not friends either. Difference between Talibs and IS is fuzzy and thin. There are IS who are former Talibs; there may be people doing some service to both. Those trying to leave are seen by both as collaborating with occupation. For Westerners, they may be allies but not equals.

It could be that crow panicked and tried to break through. It could be that somebody started firing, and it was not immediately clear who is to blame. Westerners could have started it, including from overstress or accidental, and Afghanis could have started it. Somebody seeking to benefit is not excluded either. We do not really know. It would normally take an investigation to figure, but here, an investigation is unlikely. (That by itself may give sense of impunity and contribute to events; what is declared is one thing, what it really is, may be quite another). --Resup (talk) 03:02, 29 August 2021 (UTC)