ISIS suicide strike at Kabul airport kills 85 including 13 of US army

At least 85 people, including 13 US army soldiers and many children, were killed in a huge twin-explosion triggered by a suicide bomber outside the Kabul airport in Afghanistan on Thursday (August 26).

Unconfirmed reports said there were a series of explosions but AFP confirmed a third blast, too. Terror group ISIS has taken responsibility for the act and said in a statement that one of its suicide bombers “targeted translators and collaborators of the US Army.” The blast and ensuing chaos has hit the ongoing evacuation of foreign and Afghan nationals from the country after the Taliban swept to power on August 15. This is highest casualty in a single incident faced by US troops, after 30 personnel were killed when a helicopter was gunned down, in August 2011.

US President Joe Biden said he had asked the Pentagon to explore options on striking the ISIS-K, the Islamic State-affiliate which apparently carried out the strike. “We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said during televised comments from the White House.

Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby said: “We can confirm an explosion outside Kabul airport. Casualties are unclear at this time. We will provide additional details later.

We can confirm an explosion outside Kabul airport. Casualties are unclear at this time. We will provide additional details when we can.

— John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) August 26, 2021

Kirby also has tweeted the incident.

Reports from Kabul said bodies could be found lying in a canal right outside the airport.

Western nations had warned of a possible attack there in the waning days of a massive airlift. Several countries urged people to avoid the airport earlier in the day, with one saying there was a threat of a suicide bombing. But just days or even hours for some nations before the evacuation effort ends, few appeared to heed the call.

Over the last week, the airport has been the scene of some of the most searing images of the chaotic end of Americas longest war and the Taliban’s takeover, as flight after the flight took off carrying those who fear a return to the militant’s brutal rule. Already, some countries have ended their evacuations and begun to withdraw their soldiers and diplomats, signalling the beginning of the end of one of history’s largest airlifts.
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The Taliban has pledged not to attack Western forces during the evacuation but insists the foreign troops must be out by the US’ deadline of August 31. The US Embassy warned citizens at three airport gates to leave immediately due to an unspecified security threat. Australia, Britain and New Zealand also advised their citizens not to go to the airport, with Australia’s foreign minister saying there was a very high threat of a terrorist attack.

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