The United States of America, today marked the 20th anniversary of the September 11 (9/11) terrorist attack that saw the death of 2,977 people of all nationalities.
The event was marked with memorial and solemn ceremonies to honour the mass killing that was carried out by Al-Qaeda whose mercenaries hijacked 2 planes fully loaded with international travellers.
The United airlines planes rammed into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre crumbling the edifices like a pack of cards, taking all should on board both planes as well as nearly all occupants of the towers.
Another planed rammed into the pentagon killing nearly 180 people.
Sadly, today’s memorial appears weighed down by the chaotic withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan after nearly 2 decades of war with different terrorist organisations.
The ceremony in New York, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 kicked off on Friday, 10th September at the Manhattan Memorial where the twin towers of the World Trade Centre had stood.
The US President, Joe Biden began the memorial on Friday with a message of hope, courage and comfort for everyone who suffered the loss of a loved one.
By Saturday, at precisely 8:46am, the time by which the tragedy occurred, Joe Biden and wife Jill stood alongside his predecessors including Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton to honour their slain countrymen.
A minute of silence was was held at 8:46am, 20 years after the first plane hijacked by the the Al Qaeda jihadist struck the North tower.
The names of the 2,977 souls lost at the 3 sites of the attack, including 2,753 in New York alone were read out one after the other.
Other minutes of silence were observed for the attack on Pentagon near Washington and the crash of one of the planes in Shanksville (Pensilvania).
A 3rd moment of mourning was also observed in Times Square, Manhattan where America’s victories are traditionally celebrated.
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