Updated:
Monitoring Desk: A death toll of Kabul blasts rises to more than 100 people, including 90 Afghans and 13 U.S. forces, while over 150 others were wounded, according to reports
Taliban sources claim that these were suicide attacks conducted by ISIS.
US President Biden has warned the Islamic State of consequences after the deadly attack on Thursday and also pledged that the evacuation of Afghanistan will continue.
“Know this,” Biden said to the attackers. “We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.”
Biden held a moment of silence to honor the American service members who lost their lives, calling them “heroes” and “the best the country has to offer.”
“The lives we lost today were lives given in the service of liberty, the service of security, the service of others, in the service of America,” he said from the White House.
Biden said the situation on the ground in Kabul was still evolving and that the U.S. will target the assets, leadership, and facilities of ISIS-K, the Islamic State affiliate that has reportedly claimed responsibility for the terror attack.
“We will respond with force and precision, at our time, at the place we choose and at the moment of our choosing,” he said.
Reports suggest blast took place near Baron Hotel across from Kabul Airport.
It may be mentioned that US and its allies had urged people yesterday to move away from Kabul airport due to the threat of an attack by an affiliate of the ISIL (ISIS) armed group. Al-Jazeera reported that the US and its allies have mounted one of the biggest air evacuations in history, bringing out more than 88,000 people. The US military says planes are taking off about every 39 minutes. Therefore attack was not by surprise because the Taliban and US intelligence had information of such an attack on the Airport, therefore, trying to clean Airport from the public. Baron Hotel is used by UK authorities for visa processing nowadays and there is a possibility of casualties of foreigners in the blast.
#KabulAiport Circula ya imágenes de algunos heridos que dejó el ataque a las afueras del aeropuerto de Kabul
Vía: @AsvakaNews pic.twitter.com/HT2WZyOTo7
— CABECERA / EL TIMBRE (@cabeceramx) August 26, 2021
Double blast- probably a suicide attack outside Kabul airport where 1000s of families…pleading to flee persecution.
There have been warmings of terror plots by ISIS and an even earlier halt to evacuation efforts, plunging Afghanistan in deeper crisis. pic.twitter.com/r1xvRhmm38— Rula Jebreal (@rulajebreal) August 26, 2021
“Initial reports suggest four or more US service personnel may have been injured or killed in the explosion” at the Kabul airport, according to a sensitive but unclassified State Department alert that we sawhttps://t.co/BVnaH9EWge
— POLITICO (@politico) August 26, 2021
After two suicide blasts, there were several explosions inside Kabul Airport but they were done by US forces to destroy their belongings.
Taliban released the following statement:
Several explosions were heard in Kabul in the evening. The blasts were carried out by US forces inside Kabul airport to destroy their belongings. Kabul residents are not worried. The Islamic Emirate does not intend to intensify the explosion at the Kabul airport. The bomber struck shortly afternoon in front of a U.S. military base. The Islamic Emirate pays close attention to the security and safety of the people. Evil circles in front will be taken with full force
