The death toll from two bomb blasts at Kabul airport last night has risen to at least 103 people, including 13 US troops and 90 Afghans, a US newspaper reported.
The Wall Street Journal reported that at least 103 people, including 13 US soldiers and 90 Afghan civilians, were killed in blasts at Kabul airport last night (Thursday).
According to the report, unidentified assailants carried out an armed operation last night near the entrance of Abi, where US and British forces were stationed in recent days, and at the entrance of Baron near a hotel of the same name near Kabul Airport, one of which was a suicide bombing.
The BBC quoted an official from the Afghan Ministry of Health as saying that the number of victims of the Kabul bombings had reached 103.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon says at least 18 US troops were injured in two bombings in Kabul.
According to the report, yesterday’s attack marks the deadliest day for the US military in Afghanistan since 2011, five days before the deadline for the full withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of Centcom terrorists, said in a statement that the US military was likely to launch more attacks in the coming days.
He continued, however, that despite the attack, US efforts to expel Afghans, Afghan refugees and foreign nationals from Afghanistan would continue.
According to the report, the American commander warned that the United States would respond to last night’s attacks.
The ISIS terrorist group claimed responsibility for yesterday’s operation. The Taliban called the attack “terrorist.” Politico quoted an American source as saying that ISIL suicide bombers had caused the blasts.
With less than a week to go before the August 31st deadline for the US to leave Afghanistan, at least 4,100 Americans are still in Afghanistan, CNN reported Wednesday.
The US State Department said in a briefing to the senators that the Americans were trying to leave Afghanistan, the CNN website quoted a US senator’s aide as saying.
A source quoted by Sihanyan said that not all of the Americans who remain in Afghanistan are inside or around Kabul. The source said the United States has evacuated 4,400 civilians from Afghanistan so far, but evacuating the remaining 4,100 will be more challenging.
White House officials have repeatedly said they do not know the exact number of American citizens remaining in Afghanistan. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the exact number of Americans was unknown, given that some Americans had entered Afghanistan without registering at the US embassy in Kabul.