Welcome to Episode 24 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

For this installment of our series exploring the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, we talked with Joe Laude and Aidan Gunderson about their experiences at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the horrifying suicide attack at Abbey Gate on Aug. 26, 2021. Joe Laude was a Marine Corps Sgt. in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment at the time of the evacuation. Aidan Gunderson was a combat medic with the 82nd Airborne Division. Both described their personal views of the explosion at Abbey Gate, and their aftermath.

Around 170 Afghans perished at Abbey Gate while trying to escape their transforming homeland. 13 U.S. service members made their final sacrifices at Abbey Gate while trying to help our allies find safety.

About Operation Allies Refuge Foundation:

Find OAR Foundation’s website here.

About the hosts:

Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.

Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.

For listeners in Afghanistan:

If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, [email protected]. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.