Hegseth honours three Abbey Gate US troops with upgraded awards following 2021 attack

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has honoured three US Marines who served during the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, Hegseth upgraded the awards of the US troops on the fifth anniversary of the attack and blasted the Biden administration. The 2021 incident saw 13 US service members and 170 civilians die following a suicide bomber attack during the botched evacuation from Afghanistan. Hegseth praised the Marines for their “resolve” and “courage” and declared to rebuild trust between the War Department and US troops. Then-US President Joe Biden faced huge backlash for his administration’s handling of the evacuation that led to the deaths of 13 US Marines.