(VOVWORLD) - On a video released Friday, US President Joe Biden called for national unity as the United States prepared to mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, calling it America's greatest strength in the face of adversity.
 US President Joe Biden speaks at a press conference in Washington DC. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
On Saturday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will visit all three sites that were attacked – New York City, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. He will not give speeches in public memorials.
On September 11, 2011, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked 4 passenger airplanes and attacked several targets in the US. Two airliners destroyed the World Trade Center, another crashed at the Pentagon, and the last one headed to the US Capitol but was forced down to a field in Shanksville.
2,976 people were killed and more than 6,000 were injured in the attacks. Property damage and lost production of goods and services accounts for over 3 trillion USD.