Amid the chaos outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul as thousands of Afghans are still waiting outside the airport to leave the country, two explosions have been reported from near the airport. At least 13 deaths and several injuries have been reported from the blasts, including children and women.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid informed that at least 52 people have been wounded in the two explosions. Terming the bombings as a terror attack, he said that the Taliban are committed to the international community and will not allow terrorists to use Afghanistan as a base for their operations. He also added that the Taliban had informed the US about possible terrorist groups such as ISIS.
The first incident reportedly took place near the Abbey gate of the airport. Minutes later, a second explosion was reported from the Baron Hotel near Kabul airport. Visuals from the spot show a number of persons, dead or injured, lying in the ground covered with blood.
Three American troopers were reportedly injured in the first blast near the Abbey gate of the airport.
John Kirby, the Press Secretary for the United States Department of Défense, tweeted confirming the incident after the first explosion. “We can confirm an explosion outside Kabul airport. Casualties are unclear at this time. We will provide additional details when we can,” he posted on Twitter today.
According to reports, the explosion was caused by ISIS suicide bombers who detonated an IED near the Abbey gate of the Kabul airport and near the Barron hotel. Gunfire also has been reported at the site after the explosion. Gunfire also has been reported after the explosions.
Earlier CNN had quoted one US official saying that there are some injuries among the Afghans outside the airport, however it was not known if any American was injured.
After the incidents, the US Embassy in Kabul issued a security alert asking US citizens to avoid travelling to the airport and avoid the airport gates. They advised US citizens who are at the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate of the airport should leave immediately.
The incident comes after Australia, the US and UK had issued alerts to their citizens advising not to go to the airport, warning possible terror attack. People outside the airport had been advised to leave the area immediately as there were concerns of violence from an ISIS affiliate group.
Update
The death toll from the Kabul Airport Attack has risen to 85, including 13 US service members and 72 Afghan civilians, some reports suggest. Other reports say that the death toll stands at 90 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members. Islamic State Khorasan Province, the regional affiliate of ISIS, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
