NATO allies fly flags at half-staff to honor US service members killed in Kabul

NATO allies are flying their flags at half-staff to honor the U.S. service members who were killed in the attack on the airport in Kabul.

“The flags of all 30 Allies are flying at half-mast at #NATO Headquarters following the appalling terrorist attack outside #Kabul airport,” Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of NATO, tweeted Friday.

“We mourn all the victims. We honour the U.S. personnel who lost their lives getting others to safety – they will never be forgotten,” he added.

The flags of all 30 Allies are flying at half-mast at #NATO Headquarters following the appalling terrorist attack outside #Kabul airport. We mourn all the victims. We honour the U.S. personnel who lost their lives getting others to safety – they will never be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/2jMPrWg5Ta

— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) August 27, 2021

The U.S. lost more than a dozen service members on Thursday after a suicide bomber likely detonated their device at a gate leading into the airport.

The move by NATO follows White House press secretary Jen Psaki announcing on Thursday flags will be flown at half-staff “at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations and on all naval vessels of the federal government and the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories.”

Psaki said the flags will stay at half-staff until sunset on Aug. 30.

House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also ordered flags at the Capitol building to be flown at half-staff in honor of the service members. 

President Biden vowed on Thursday to go after ISIS for the attack.

“We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said.