Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked masses thronging at Kabul airport on Thursday, killing at least 60 Afghans and 13 US troops, Afghan and the US officials confirmed.
The US general said that the attacks would not stop the United States from evacuating its citizens and others, flights will continue. General Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, said that there were several security personnel at the airport and other routes were being used to get evacuees in. Around 5,000 evacuees were awaiting flights on the airfield, he said.
The explosion occurred hours after Western officials warned of a major attack, requesting people to vacate the airport. But Afghans did not pay heed to the advice in a desperate bid to flee the country.
The Islamic State group took the responsibility for the killings on its Amaq news channel. The Taliban were not believed to have been involved in the blasts and criticized it.
US President Joe Biden in an emotional speech from the White House said, “We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt down and make you pay.”