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U.S. Troops and Afghans Killed in Suicide Attacks Outside Kabul Airport; What is ISIS-K?; More Than 90 Afghans, 13 U.S. Service Members Killed; Security Challenges Amid Evacuation Chaos; U.S. Air Base in Germany Housing Thousands of Afghan Evacuees; Health Ministry Reports At Least 150 Afghan People Wounded; Biden: Airlift will go on Despite Terrorist Threats. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired August 27, 2021 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[02:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (voice-over): We will not be deterred by terrorists. We will not let them step our mission. We will continue the evacuation.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Joe Biden addresses the nation after the terror attack that has now taken more than 100 lives in Afghanistan, his message for the attackers.

Also, what is ISIS-K and what is its endgame? Officials say another attack is imminent. Our correspondents are standing by around the globe with the very latest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES (on camera): Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I appreciate your company. I'm Michael Holmes, and this is "CNN Newsroom."

U.S. Military leaders are warning that the deadly suicide bombings outside Kabul airport are likely just the beginning. We are about to show you some very graphic video of the scene.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

HOLMES (voice-over): It is difficult to watch, but it is also important that we document the brutality of what is happening.

More than 90 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members killed at the airport's main entrance gate for evacuees and also at the nearby Baron Hotel. The Jihadist group ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for the attack, which the U.S. and others have been warning about for days.

What you see there is a scene outside of a Kabul hospital as families gathered, hoping they would hear the names of their loved ones who are getting medical care. U.S. President Joe Biden is vowing to continue the airlift that has now brought more than 100,000 people out of Afghanistan, and he has ordered the U.S. Military to go after those behind the attack.

BIDEN: To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this. We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.

HOLMES (voice-over): The attack comes as U.S. forces race to evacuate Americans and the thousands of Afghans who helped them fight the Taliban. Despite the attack, schools of people are gathered at the airport, hoping for flights out.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

HOLMES (on camera): CNN international security editor Nick Paton Walsh recently spent time in Afghanistan. He is with us live this hour from Doha in Qatar. Arlette Saenz has reaction for us from the White house. Natasha Bertrand is covering the U.S. State Department.

Nick, let's go to you first. What more do we know about what happened, why and how?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Let's slowly piece together the details of this because according to the Pentagon, this was what they call a complex attack, many different elements to it. Now, it seems as though probably the first explosion was a suicide bomber. He has been identified by ISIS as possibly coming from Logar province. They released a picture of him.

Now, he appears to have managed to get himself into a position near the Abbey gate. That is one of the final, remaining entry points for Afghan SIV applicants, often very carefully selected as one of the main entry points for them on to the airport, if not the only remaining one, yesterday. He appears to have got himself into position near a significant number of U.S. Marines.

Now, I'm not entirely sure where that would have been. I have seen pictures of U.S. and U.K. troops outside of the Abbey gate. Along that run, a very large sewage dock, which is obviously full of horrific material and individuals have been crowding around that, and the razor wire, which is used at times to keep people back from the main gate there. It is unclear whether there were marines at that point outside of the gate or inside.

The extent of the injuries, which I have to say extraordinary, that the death toll is horrific, might suggest that this explosion occurred in a more densely-packed area. There is what is called a search lane within the Abbey gate area where people who have been picked out of the crowd are subsequently moved for processing and searching.

We heard from General McKenzie, the CENTCOM chief, that the people who are the marine who are searching this individual were so close. They could feel each other's breath on them. So, it does possibly suggest to me that he may have been within that inner search lane, unless they had chosen to search some people outside of the airport. I've not seen much of that certainly when I was brought through all that searching and vetting, went inside the safety of the airport itself.

[02:05:00]

PATON WALSH: That explosion appears to have claimed most of the U.S. lives here. But then it isn't quite clear how we have seen another 90 or so Afghans killed at this stage. There was a secondary blast which appears to have happened near the Baron Hotel. That is quite close to where we're talking about here. So we could be roughly talking about a similar location that was subsequently followed by gunfire, according to General McKenzie of CENTCOM, which also killed a number of civilians, too.

So, it looks like we are dealing with three possibly attackers at some point. The question is, how did they get through the Taliban security and precisely where did they choose to launch this attack and when did they choose that moment, Michael.

HOLMES: Yeah. Thanks for that, Nick. Nick Paton Walsh there. Let's bring in Arlette Saenz in Washington. I guess this is a worst-case scenario for President Biden. He said he had contingency plans on Thursday. He said, we will hunt you down and make you pay. Is there any indication how? What can he actually do about this attack?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Michael, President Biden was pretty forceful in making that vow that the U.S. would retaliate against those responsible for this attack. But, the question is, when and how? The president said that he asked the military to draw up some options for how to respond, including possible strikes against ISIS-K assets and leadership.

He said that they have an idea of who may have been responsible, specifically for this attack. But they are still waiting for those final ascertainments as they are looking to retaliate for this incredible loss of life, which included 13 U.S. service members.

The president and other military officials have also warned that another ISIS-K attack could be possible as they are evaluating further threats around the Kabul airport, especially as that August 31st drawdown deadline is approaching.

So, right now, you have the administration operating on dual tracks, trying to identify and hold those responsible for this attack and then also trying to safely evacuate Americans and as many Afghan allies as possible before that August 31st deadline on Tuesday.

Now, the president, in his remarks, really used this type of terror attack that we saw at the Kabul airport, used that as further evidence for why he believes the U.S. does need to draw down from Afghanistan, saying that he doesn't want to see more American lives put in jeopardy.

So, right now, you have the administration continuing to reach out to those Americans who remain in the country. The president said they've established contact with the majority of them and there are really fulsome efforts in the coming days, will be focused on trying to get those Americans out safely before that August 31st deadline.

HOLMES: All right. Arlette, thanks. Arlette Saenz there in Washington. Let's turn now to Natasha Bertrand joining me with more on this. Natasha, what are you hearing about continuing ISIS threats to U.S. forces and Afghans around the airport?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN REPORTER: Yeah, Michael, the threat continues to be very acute, according to officials speaking to us. And, of course, General McKenzie also made that clear during a press conference today publicly. He said that the threats ranged from vehicle-borne devices, improvised explosive devices to rocket attacks to continued suicide attacks against people stationed outside the airport, against U.S. troops, against Afghans trying to get out.

Now, the U.S. Intelligence Community has been receiving a steady stream of intelligence about potential terrorist attacks by ISIS-K over the last week. But that intelligence was not enough, unfortunately, to thwart this attack at the airport. The airport right now, according to the officials who we have been speaking to, is just completely indefensible.

That is why President Biden has made it such a top priority to get troops out by Tuesday, because he says that the threat that they are dealing with here is going to be persistent and that is going to get worse.

Officials were telling us today that really by the hour, the ISIS throat is worsening. They don't expect it to let up. This is part of the reason, again, why they are relying so much on the Taliban here to do security not only around the airport but, of course, also around Kabul.

That really didn't work today. Obviously, we saw things slipped through the cracks. These suicide bombers were able to get through this Taliban checkpoint close to the airport where U.S. troops were stationed. And so the extent to which the Taliban can actually provide security, especially when the U.S. has such limited forces around the airport, is really an open question.

HOLMES: Appreciate the reporting. Natasha Bertrand in Washington there. Appreciate that.

[02:10:00]

HOLMES: I want to bring in Lisa Curtis now. She is a former CIA analyst who is a senior National Security Council official during the Trump administration. She is now director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. It is good to see you again.

Now, ISIS-K has been around for a few years now. But the U.S. pounded them with bombs, for some time degraded them. How strong are they? What do you see is their aims?

LISA CURTIS, FORMER CIA ANALYST, SENIOR FELLOW FOR CENTER FOR A NEW AMERICAN SECURITY: Well, you are right, ISIS-K came on the scene in Afghanistan in about 2015 and they set up a base in eastern Afghanistan, in Kunar province. But the U.S. and Afghan forces were able to beat back that base in 2018. However, ISIS-K maintained capabilities to attack in Kabul. We have seen several major attacks by ISIS-K primarily against the Hazara Shia community. This is a minority community in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, they remain very capable of conducting these major suicide bombings in Kabul.

HOLMES: Yeah, they've done some horrendous attacks over the years. I'm curious. Your thought on -- what are terror groups? I mean, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, ISIS, but others, too. What are they making of all of this? Not just Thursday's explosion but how the U.S. is leaving Afghanistan. One analyst told me Jihadists around the world are over the moon with what is happened and how.

CURTIS: Yes, I think that that is true. Terrorists of all stripes are celebrating the U.S. leaving Afghanistan. They're likely to re- converge on the country as the Taliban will allow Jihadists to come in. Foreign terrorist spiders coming from Syria, Iraq or anywhere throughout the world will start to re-converge in Afghanistan. And al- Qaeda will start to rebuild itself.

We had degraded al-Qaeda's capabilities. They were down to maybe 100, 200 fighters. But now, they will be able to regenerate and rebuild. We are in a terrible situation. Part of this is due to the careful deal that was struck between the U.S. and Taliban, which is a very weak deal and did not require the Taliban to break from al-Qaeda or to eject al-Qaeda from Afghanistan.

HOLMES: Of course, they promised they would, but that was a lie. The other thing I will ask you about is the "K" in ISIS. "K" stands for Khorasan which is a region, of course, encompassing much more than Afghanistan, parts of South Asia, Iran, parts of China, Pakistan. Pakistan's Intel service, the ISI, has been heavily involved with the Taliban. Do you worry about broader regional instability?

CURTIS: Absolutely. I worry most about how this will impact India- Pakistan relations. We're talking about two nuclear armed countries that have already fought three wars in the past 70 years and have had major crises in just the last few years.

And so terrorist groups that attack India will now be emboldened. They will now be able to train and regroup inside Afghanistan. These are groups like Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed which have brought Indian-Pakistan to the brink of war in the past.

So there are very wide repercussions for the terrorist safe haven that we will see in Afghanistan.

HOLMES: Yeah, blowback from Pakistan, which has had through its intelligence service, the ISI, has had its fingers in the Taliban for some time.

I also wanted to run by, because it is your area, it's clear that the U.S. had intelligence for warning of this attack. How much harder will it be to get that kind of intelligence once the U.S. Military leaves Kabul? What is the path forward for U.S. in dealing with terror in the region? What effective capability will it have versus what it has had?

CURTIS: So, yeah, with the withdrawal of U.S. forces, U.S. intelligence capabilities will be severely diminished. We won't have eyes on the target. We won't be able to get to those targets as quickly. So, we have really lost a serious capability.

That is why some people had argued for keeping at least a small presence to be able to protect our counter-terrorism interests. But that will no longer be possible. President Biden talks about over the horizon capability but that is going to be very difficult. You're talking about launching airstrikes from the Middle East. You're talking about trying to do intelligent surveillance, reconnaissance from the Middle East.

[02:15:01]

CURTIS: This is going to be very, very difficult.

HOLMES: Yeah, absolutely. Great analysis as always. Lisa Curtis, thank you so much. Good to see you.

CURTIS: Thank you.

HOLMES: We are going to take a quick break. When we come back here on the program, more on the terror group that is believed to have carried out this attack. We will explain where ISIS-K originated and the threat it poses. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: With regard to finding, tracking down the ISIS leaders who ordered this, we will find ways of our choosing without large military operations to get them, wherever they are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES (on camera): The U.S. president, Joe Biden, there vowing to punish those responsible for the Kabul attack. The terror group, ISIS- K, is claiming responsibility. So, who are they? They claimed to be a branch of ISIS. The "K" stands for Khorasan, an area around the Afghan-Pakistan border and into parts of Iran as well and other parts of South Asia.

[02:20:00]

HOLMES: Their goal is to create an Islamic caliphate across Afghanistan and beyond into some of those countries. Along with being a rival and enemy of the Taliban, they seek to target western organizations, civilians, and anyone who doesn't meet their severe interpretation of Islam. They already have an extensive record of murderous atrocities.

For more, CNN's Jomana Karadsheh joins me now from Istanbul. She has extensively covered the rise and fall of ISIS in Iraq and elsewhere. Jomana, good to see you. ISIS-K is an offshoot of ISIS proper. What more can you tell us about the group, the aims, the capabilities?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Michael, as you mentioned there, this is a group that emerged in Afghanistan back in 2014, '15, as an affiliate of what was the Islamic -- the so-called Islamic state in Iraq and Syria. ISIS now, they've been considered a major threat by U.S. officials for a few years now. They have been the target of military operations, counter-terrorism operations in the country.

As you mentioned, their presence there was mainly focused in the eastern region of Afghanistan but it also has sells (ph) in and around Kabul and in other areas. When it comes to how many members the group has, there are all sorts of estimates, anywhere between 1,000, 2,500, up to 2000.

But what has been really concerning for U.S. officials in recent days and weeks, Michael, as we saw the Taliban sweep across the country, there were several major prison breaks where hundreds of ISIS-K members are believed to have been broken out of these prisons that have also bolstered the group.

Now, it has been, as we mentioned, a major threat over the past few years. We have seen them carry out devastating attacks in Afghanistan in recent years and recent months. They've had the ability, Michael, to choose their targets. The capability to carry out devastating attacks on all kinds of targets from government targets, military targets, foreign, minority groups and civilians.

As we saw in Kabul back in May, an attack that was believed to have been carried out by ISIS-K, they were targeting school girls. More than 80 people were killed in that attack. A month later, there was another attack targeting a British-American NGO, demining charity group that was also believed to have been carried out by ISIS-K. It has been a group of concern. It has carried out devastating attacks.

But if you look at what unfolded on Thursday, that attack, Michael, it doesn't -- unfortunately, it doesn't take much. While it is a complex coordinated attack, as it's been described by U.S. officials, to create this kind of -- inflict this kind of maximum damage, maximum casualty, maximum horror that we saw on Thursday, unfortunately, when you have that sort of crowd, it doesn't take much to do that.

We have to wait and see when it comes to forensics what U.S. officials will have to say about that, what kind of explosives may have been used, what kind of device was potentially used.

What I also found interesting, Michael, looking at that statement, that claim of responsibility by ISIS-K, while U.S. officials were saying it was two bombings and small arms fire afterwards which creates this complex attack, in that statement, they say it was one attacker, one suicide bomber who attacked. So we will have to wait and see if we hear more details about the attack.

What is very concerning in that statement, Michael, they say that the target was not just U.S. forces but they also say the target was translators and what they described as the collaborators and the spies who worked with the Americans. Again, really highlighting the kind of risks America's allies on the ground who are trying to get out of the country face right now. It is not just reprisal attacks from the Taliban that they are concerned about, there's also this risk of attacks targeting them by ISIS-K.

HOLMES: So many of those people just will not get out because this evacuation was started so late. Jomana Karadsheh in Istanbul, thank you so much.

We can take a quick break here on the program. When we come back, more of the deadly terror attack in Kabul. We will examine how a suicide bomber managed to get inside a secure area. You are watching "CNN Newsroom." We will be right back.

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[02:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: And a warning, we are about to show you some images you may find disturbing as the devastation of the Kabul suicide blast comes into ever sharper focus.

The Afghan public health ministry now says more than 90 Afghans were killed, more than 150 others wounded, at least 13 U.S. service members also died in the attack, and ISIS affiliate has claimed responsibility for the carnage. The Pentagon is warning another attack could happen.

[02:30:05]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. KENNETH MCKENZIE, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We have reached out to the Taliban. We told them we need to continue to push out the security perimeter. We've identified some roads that we would like for them to be closed. They've identified that they will be willing to close those roads, because we assess the threat of a suicide bomb vehicle threat is high right now. So we want to reduce the possibility of one of those vehicles getting close. And so we're actually moving very aggressively to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN HOST: Now, despite the dangerous situation at the airport, thousands of people are still gathering there hoping to escape knowing people died in the immediate vicinity. Our Anna Coren has covered the conflict in Afghanistan and is tracking developments from Hong Kong.

I mean, I know I've been getting frantic messages, I'm sure you have too. What are you hearing about those who've not gotten out, and whose chances of doing so have likely diminished by because of what's happened?

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Michael inundated, I think is the word. People, contacting us, contacting me contacting you, desperate for any skerrick of hope, because as far as they are concerned, hope is now lost.

You know, as a company, we've been very successful in getting our people out, CNN staff, local producers, and that has been critical word then spreads that you are able to, you know, help facilitate these sorts of operations.

But as we know that that window has now completely closed, and people are just turning up at the airport, you know, desperate thinking that if I'm there, if I wait long enough, that they will let me in? That attack last night, obviously, you know, rattling so many people, including the people that I have been in touch with these women that were going to head to the airport with their families, they had given up on their company.

Their company, which I should add is U.S. funded, it is based in Washington, D.C., they were telling their people from the seventh of August that they would start evacuating them, not one person has been evacuated.

Now they were heading to the airport when those blasts happened, and obviously turned around. And, and there is now just a sense of hopelessness of abandonment from these people, these group of people. One woman, I just want to read you something that she wrote to me a short time ago, she said, freedom has died, happiness has died. Hope has died for us in Afghanistan.

And that is the overwhelming sense that we get, you know, when will we - when will we be rescued? Will the Taliban allow us to leave once the Americans depart on the 31st of August?

And then of course, the fear is, you know, knowing that they worked for a U.S. company, will they be taken away? Will they face persecution by the Taliban? Will they be killed? I mean, this obviously, Michael is their greatest fear that they and their families will be killed.

HOLMES: And still so many in that predicament Anna, thank you, Anna Coren, there in Hong Kong. Now a big question, of course is how did the reported ISIS suicide bomber get so close to the airport gate?

Military officials apparently saw possible red flags, because just hours before the blast, U.S. and British officials said they had specific reports that a terrorist attack was in the making. But as Tom Former now explains, for us, securing the Kabul Airport is a very tall order.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What the U.S. military is dealing with here is really a challenge of time and space. How in a very chaotic environment, do you move forward, complete the withdrawal, getting people out, especially with these violent events, upsetting things the way they have, at this moment.

Let's look a little bit closer at this map to see what we're dealing with here. Here's the main road that comes up from Kabul to the Airport, there's a checkpoint by the Taliban in here where they're trying to theoretically watch people coming up, check them out.

But they're hitting this barrier around the airport, and they're spreading out, going hundreds of yards in different directions thousands of people. And this is where these two main attacks have occurred. The Abbey Gate and a stone's throw away the Baron Hotel.

This has been an area through which many Westerners, Americans, Brits, people from Europe had been brought out including a lot of Afghans. It happened by the gate opening according to the Pentagon very briefly, and then people coming through being checked and then the gate closing again.

Here's the problem. There are thousands of people, there's virtually no standoff. So when it comes to that moment of people coming through U.S. troops have to actually check them according to the Pentagon. They have to be right next to them.

So if someone gets through the ability for a bomb blast to have a tremendous impact is really right there. What do they do going forward from here? Well, that's really the challenge. What they have to do is figure out some way to manage that pass through while they deal with still a lot of people.

[02:35:00]

FOREMAN: Remember we have about thousand U.S. citizens believed to still be in the country who may want to come out and there are about 5000 troops who still have to be withdrawn. Now we know the system is set up according to the Pentagon to operate under stress operate under attack, we know it's going to have to if they want to do this successfully, based on what we've seen so far.

HOLMES: Tom Foreman reporting there. Well, there's more to come on that deadly terror attack in Kabul what President Biden says now about the status of Afghan evacuations, we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Now Thursday's deadly attack outside Kabul's Airport has left many people uncertain of when or if they will make it out of Afghanistan? But for those who have safely fled the country, what now?

[02:40:00]

HOLMES: Thousands of evacuees have already passed through the U.S. Air based in Ramstein, Germany, many heading to new homes in America. But for some remembering those they left behind is hard to bear Atika Shubert with that story.

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hangar five at Ramstein Air Base has become the gateway to a new life for thousands of Afghan evacuees. This military airplane hangar has essentially become an international airport terminal and we're standing in what would be the check in area. And the goal is to get as many evacuees as possible onto those commercial planes to the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHUBERT (voice over): Many are happy to be leaving but also fearful for family left behind my Ahmad Shah Shirzad checks in for his flight with his sister and father.

AHMAD SHAH SHIRZAD, EVACUEE: --remain in there may - I have four sisters and two brothers. I come here with my one sister. Yes, it's very hard to feel this honestly.

SHUBERT (voice over): While the military has handled the evacuation from Kabul, it is the State Department and Homeland Security that are responsible for getting evacuees to the U.S.

ANDREW HALUS, SPOKESPERSON, U.S. CONSULATE FRANKFURT: The military brings them in, and they stay here for a short period of time. And then we bring them out so they can go back to the United States. It has been slow moving, but now we're getting into a process, flights are leaving.

SHUBERT (voice over): Volunteers pack toys, coloring books and snacks into backpacks for the kids before the flight.

JESSICA BIEDSOE, VOLUNTEER: It doesn't even have to be anything fancy or that makes noise. And they'll go from whaling to content and happy and smiling the rest of the time. It's unbelievable.

SHUBERT (voice over): On the tarmac, the flight arrives, Delta's A350 flagship plane with the entire crew and emotional experience.

JOSHUA MILLER, DELTA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: We saw some of the evacuees standing out by the hangar and I think that's really when it clicked and we were all in like, OK, this is game time. These are people that we are bringing back to the United States to you know, escape.

SHUBERT (voice over): Hope that the normalcy of a commercial flight might provide some measure of comfort after the hasty evacuation.

DANIEL THAMES, DELTA FLIGHT ATTENDANT: We did everything we could to make everyone comfortable and feel protected and quite frankly loved.

SHUBERT (voice over): As the plane is ready for boarding, Ahmad Shah Shirzad and his family weigh their bags all they were able to bring. Then they waved goodbye to board their flight to a new life in America Atika Shubert for CNN at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:00]

HOLMES: This plane landed in Frankfurt, Germany just hours ago carrying Afghan refugees fleeing the chaos at home. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says her government is still in negotiations with the Taliban to get more people out of the country. But other nations have wrapped up their evacuation efforts including Australia, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark and New Zealand. France says it will join the U.S. in seeing evacuations through to the end a sentiment echoed by the British Prime Minister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We always knew that this was a moment where of course there were going to be particular vulnerabilities to terrorism to opportunistic terrorist attacks. We condemn them. I think they're despicable. But I'm afraid that they're something that we've had to prepare for. It isn't going to interrupt our progress we're going to get on with this evacuation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: The U.S. President Joe Biden says America will continue evacuations as well among those stranded in Afghanistan thousands of Afghans who worked for the U.S. during its two decade military campaign. They are hoping to get out with Special Immigrant Visas. The president asked about their status on Thursday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you say to the Afghans who helped troops who may not be able to get out by August 31st? What do you say to that?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We're going to continue to try to get you out it matters getting every single person out is - can't be guaranteed anybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And joining me now from Los Angeles - Retired U.S. Army Colonel Steve Miska, the Author of Baghdad Underground Railroad. He's also been a prime mover in the effort by veterans to get translators and others out of Afghanistan joins me now from the "Evacuate our Allies Operation Center", working around the clock to get allies out of the region safely.

And I know you have because we've been in touch on a case in particular but others as well. You have not stopped. It has been a perilous situation for these SIV applicants getting to the airport at all even before this bombing. What's the landscape now after this attack for those you and others are still fighting to get out?

COL. STEVE MISKA, AUTHOR, "BAGHDAD UNDERGROUND RAILROAD": But thanks for having me, Michael. It's been really rough. It's been a rough 48 hours actually. We were anticipating attacks and that created challenges getting people safely to the airport. And then of course when the attacks went off, you know, we lost a lot of lives today.

A lot of Afghans lost their lives. Marines and service members lost their lives or were wounded. And that pretty much shut down airport and then there was no movement. [02:50:00]

MISKA: And fortunately for you know, the one case that you and I were falling together, we had warned them of the attack, and they were in a safe house when the bomb went off.

HOLMES: Yes. Yes, I'm I know, you're working hard on that, as well as many others. I mean, what are these applicants telling you they're doing right now? I mean, I imagine hiding, destroying documents erasing their previous lives. What are you hearing from them?

MISKA: Yes, it's - we've actually been working on that for the last several days now because as you know, it's super dangerous to navigate, whether it's Kabul or even the outlying provinces and so one of our partners, main partner in a coalition is Human Rights First.

And they developed a digital hygiene kit, where if the Taliban catch you, they're going to check that Facebook account, they're going to check your Google search. And so we teach everybody how to sanitize your digital presence. So you can't get affiliated with Westerners.

HOLMES: Heartbreaking stuff. I mean, how tried to put into words how veterans are feeling about the whole evacuation plan? How it's been executed, or more accurately, not well executed? What are veterans who know these Afghans who are not getting out telling you about how they're feeling as they watch this unfold?

MISKA: It's been gut wrenching. It's really been tough. And we, you know, we do four synchronization meetings a day. And every day, I'm seeing people break down. And it's not just veterans, it's, you know, the veteran community has partnered with humanitarians in this space.

And we've been working around the clock, as you noted, and it's been, you know, we get those small wins, where, you know, we might get a family away from a bomb site, and they survive, but they're still not out. They're still in harm's way. And we won't forget we'll keep working to help them get to safety. And, you know, but it is tough space.

HOLMES: Given what could have happened if the evacuations have been started earlier. How do you personally feel about what's been happening the last couple of weeks? I hope you don't mind me sharing something you wrote today, to me in an email, you said, this has been worse than my time in combat?

MISKA: Yes, and well, part of that is me. It's, you know, I'm I would prefer to be in Kabul right now. And I'm in LA, but we all play the position that we're on, on the team. And it has been difficult. It's - soul crushing, in many ways, because we're attempting the veteran community is attempting to live up to his ethos of leave no one behind.

And we'll continue doing that we're not going to stop. We're not going to forget our partners; many have made it out of harm's way. And that's good. And, but they're not even to the U.S. yet. And so we're tracking them, and we're helping them to get to safety. But we won't forget, I know,

HOLMES: I know you won't give up. But I mean, is it in the back of your mind and deep in your gut that there are going to be a lot who are left behind and facing death?

MISKA: Yes. I mean, a lot of people haven't made it out. And we've transitioned, you know, August 31st, is a negotiated date. But it's really immaterial for our efforts. We are in a new phase and that phase is very much protecting those who have not made it out in ways that allow them to stay safe. And we'll wait to see what the new normal looks like and see what opportunities avail them?

HOLMES: I embedded with your unit in Iraq and served alongside you and your -- I've worked alongside you and your unit in Iraq and saw what a commander you are, and I know that you are very concerned about Iraqi translators, and others, too.

Could you back in those days? I can't remember what year we were - there together. Could you imagine you'd be doing this right now?

MISKA: Yes. Well, that was 2007 Michael; we were a little bit younger than we are now. But no, I if you asked me a month ago, if you told me what I was doing now, trying to you know, synchronize the activities of dozens of nonprofits and veteran operations that were out there chartering flights and flying people out to Romania. I would have thought you were talking about a fiction novel. It's just - it's really been incredible.

HOLMES: You are doing amazing work those you're working with are doing amazing work. I know quit is not in your vocabulary and you'll keep on fighting. Colonel Steve Miska always a pleasure seeing you my friend thanks.

MISKA: Thanks Michael.

[02:55:00]

HOLMES: And you can find out how you can help Afghan refugees if you are a veteran troubled by events in Afghanistan as well. You can go to cnn.com/impact for resources that can help. Thanks for spending time of your day with me. I'm Michael Holmes. Our coverage of the terror attack at Kabul International Airport continues after the break.

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HOLMES: Hello, and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Michael Holmes appreciate your company. Coming up this hour --

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BIDEN: We will put you down to make you pay.

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HOLMES: The U.S. President vowed to avenge American military deaths but with the U.S. exit.