OHIO — Gov. Mike DeWine issued an order late Thursday night for all Ohio and U.S. flags on public grounds to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims killed in Kabul, Afghanistan.
On Thursday, twin suicide bombings killed at least 95 Afghans and 13 U.S. military members, according to Pentagon officials.
Afghan officials warned that the toll could rise, with morgues stretched to capacity and the possibility that relatives are taking bodies away from the scene.
"In accordance with the order issued by the President of the United States of America and in honoring the lives of the U.S. service members and other victims killed in the terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Governor DeWine issued a flag lowering order last night directing that all U.S. and Ohio flags be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the state until sunset on August 30, 2021," DeWine's office wrote in a press release.
President Joe Biden also ordered flags to be flown at half-staff Thursday until sunset on Aug. 30.
"As a mark of respect for the U.S. service members and other victims killed in the terrorist attack on August 26, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall 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 in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, August 30, 2021," President Joe Biden wrote in a proclamation.
Evacuations in Afghanistan resumed with renewed urgency Friday morning. White House officials said within the 24 hours before 3 a.m. Friday, approximately 12,500 people have been evacuated from Kabul.
Biden said the government is still sticking to its goal to get all U.S. forces out of Afghanistan by Aug. 31. Despite the deadline, Biden said the administration will still work to get vulnerable Afghans out of Kabul.
“Our mission will go on. America will not be intimidated,” he added Thursday. “I have the utmost confidence in our brave service members to continue to execute this mission with courage and honor, to save lives and get Americans, our partners, our Afghan allies out of Afghanistan.”
For updates on Afghanistan, click here.