Kabul: At least 85 people, including 13 United States (US) troops — 12 Marines and a medic, lost their lives after multiple suicide bombings at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. While Reuters said that couple of blasts were reported at the airport, AFP has claimed that three blasts took place there.
They fear that the death toll is expected to rise more than 140 civilians are severely wounded. They have also warned that further suicide attacks are expected at the Kabul Airport in order to disrupt the evacuation process from the war-ravaged country.
Biden vows to hunt down Kabul Airport blast attackers
US President Joe Biden has vowed to hunt down the attackers of the Kabul Airport blast and said that Washington will make them “pay”. Blaming the Islamic State (IS) for the deadly attacks, Biden has also warned Taliban, saying it is in their “interest” that the ISIS-K does not “metastasise” beyond what it is.
“To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm notice, we will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay. I will defend our interests and our people with every measure at my command,” Biden said in an address from the White House.
“We will respond with force and precision at our time at the place we choose in a moment of our choosing…these ISIS terrorists will not win,” Biden warned.
IS claims responsibility, says US troops, Taliban militants killed in attack
The Islamic State-Khorasan Province, a group affiliated with the ISIS, has claimed the responsibility of the attack and claimed that several US troops and Taliban militants were killed in the blasts.
The terror group also released a picture of a suicide bomber who struck the Kabul Airport. In the picture, the alleged attacker could be seen standing with the explosive belt in front of the black IS flag.
It claimed that its bomber was able to get past Taliban security checkpoints to come within five metres (yards) of a gathering of US soldiers, translators and collaborators before detonating his explosives.
Evacuation to continue
Despite the terror attack, the US, United Kingdom (UK) and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies have said that the evacuation process at the Kabul Airport will continue. However, they have said that the security would be beefed up to avoid such attacks in the future.
Taliban condemns attack
Taliban has condemned the attack at the Kabul Airport. However, it said that it had “warned the foreign forces the repercussions of the large gathering at Kabul airport”. It said that gatherings “prevented adequate security measures from being taken”.
“The Islamic Emirate strongly condemns the bombing targeting civilians at Kabul airport,” it tweeted.
Bureau Report
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