Posted on 08/26/2021 12:35:32 PM PDT by Red Badger
TWELVE US troops are among 60 people killed and 140 injured in "ISIS" suicide bomb attacks at Kabul Airport today.
Two explosions rocked the airport in Afghanistan just hours before the evacuation deadline.
Wounded women arrive at a hospital for treatment in Kabul 13 Wounded women arrive at a hospital for treatment in KabulCredit: AFP A US official confirmed the blast was caused by a suicide bomb 13 A US official confirmed the blast was caused by a suicide bombCredit: Twitter Emergency services rush to Kabul airport after the attack 13 Emergency services rush to Kabul airport after the attackCredit: Getty
13 Thousands of people have gathered at the airport over the past 12 days hoping to be evacuated after the Taliban seized power.
A senior Afghan health official told the BBC that at least 60 people had been killed and 140 others hurt.
At least 12 US service members were killed in the bombings, including 11 Marines and one Navy medic, while 15 were injured, the Pentagon said.
A third blast was reportedly heard at the airport hours after the earlier two.
The blast carnage at the airport comes as…
Hours before UK and US governments warned Kabul Airport faced ‘imminent, highly lethal’ attack Desperate Afghans were told ‘forget airport and run for border’ to flee from Taliban Ex-Marine Pen Farthing and his 200 animals were blocked from airport by Taliban Taliban took a US Black Hawk helicopter for joy ride after seizing 200,000 firearms A US official confirmed the first blast was caused by a suicide bomb, with initial reports suggesting the second explosion was a car bomb.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said one explosion occurred near buses lined up outside Abbey Gate and the other close to the nearby Baron Hotel.
A source told Fox News that the attacks in Kabul may be an "ongoing event" - with more violence to come.
One of the bombers reportedly hit people standing in a wastewater canal - sending bodies flying into the water.
People waiting desperately for a space on a flight out of Afghanistan were seen carrying those who had been wounded to ambulances, their clothes covered in blood.
Bloodied survivors were raced from the scene in wheelbarrows, according to local TV news channels.
Shocking footage showed desperate loved ones searching through dozens of bodies in a sewage canal on the outskirts of the airport.
At least 13 people - including children - have been killed, according to Russia's Foreign Ministry.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the death toll could be as high as 40, Afghan health officials reportedly told the New York Times.
ISIS are believed to be behind the horrific explosions - which came just hours after officials warned of an imminent attack.
A British defence source told Sky News it is "highly likely" the affiliate of the so-called Islamic State in Afghanistan - ISIS-K - was responsible for the attacks.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed that evacuations will continue after the "despicable" attack.
Kirby said on Twitter: "We can confirm that the explosion at the Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties.
"We can also confirm at least one other explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate. We will continue to update."
🔵 Read our Afghanistan live blog for the latest updates
A UK official said there were no reports of British military of government casualties, but US soldiers had been hurt.
Boris Johnson will chair an emergency COBRA meeting later today after the blast.
The Prime Minister had already warned time was running out to rescue people from Afghanistan ahead of the deadline.
A UK government spokesperson said: "We are working urgently to establish what has happened and its impact on the ongoing evacuation effort.
"Our primary concern remains the safety of our personnel, British citizens and the citizens of Afghanistan.
"We are in close contact with our US and other NATO allies at an operational level on the immediate response to this incident."
NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said allied forces should continue to evacuate as many vulnerable people as they can from Kabul despite what he branded as a "horrific terrorist attack".
"Our priority remains to evacuate as many people to safety as quickly as possible," he said
Last night the UK and US warned of a possible terror attack as militants take advantage of the chaos in Kabul as thousands try to get to the airport and on flights to get out of the area.
And an Italian military plane with 100 Afghans on board was hit by gunfire earlier today.
The plane was not damaged in the incident, a source at Italy's Defence Ministry said.
An Italian journalist traveling on the flight told Sky 24 TG the plane had been carrying almost 100 Afghan civilians when it came under fire minutes after take off.
At least 13 people have been killed 13 At least 13 people have been killedCredit: Twiter Smoke rises over the airport after the explosions 13 Smoke rises over the airport after the explosionsCredit: AP Reports said the blasts were close to the Baron Hotel near Abbey Gate 13 Reports said the blasts were close to the Baron Hotel near Abbey GateCredit: Getty Desperate Afghans wade through sewage outside the airport 13 Desperate Afghans wade through sewage outside the airportCredit: EPA It's not clear whether the shots were aimed at the military plane.
Italian intelligence sources believe the plane was struck by shots fired into the air to disperse a crowd near the airport, a government source told Reuters.
Armed forces minister James Heappey today described the terror threat to people outside Kabul airport as "lethal" amid concerns over ISIS-K.
"I can't stress the desperation of the situation enough, the threat is credible, it is imminent, it is lethal," he told BBC Breakfast.
"And we wouldn't be saying this if we weren't genuinely concerned about offering Islamic State a target."
Heappey warned a possible terror attack in Kabul could come within "hours".
He told LBC: "I was given lines today for what might happen if the attack happened while I was doing this media round."
He added: "I don't think everybody should be surprised by this, Daesh, or Islamic State, are guilty of all sorts of evil.
"But the opportunism of wanting to target a major international humanitarian mission is just utterly deplorable but sadly true to form for an organisation as barbarous as Daesh."
And Colonel Richard Kemp, former head of British forces in Afghanistan, said the threat of a terror attack at the airport "has existed right the way from when this evacuation began".
"That threat of terrorist attack, whether it's from Taliban, the Islamic State, or al Qaida, it could equally be all three of those groups," he told BBC Breakfast.
"The fact that people are talking about Islamic State doesn't make that the most likely threat.
"I think that threat has existed right the way from when this evacuation began, and I have no doubt that our forces are fully aware of the threat and already, for days now, have been taking measures to try and mitigate it, to prevent something like that happening.
"But, clearly, there could be a terrorist attack of some sort against the forces in the airport, maybe forces outside the airport, and of course the people trying to get in."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "The security situation in Afghanistan remains volatile.
"There is an ongoing and high threat of terrorist attack. Do not travel to Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport.
"If you are in the area of the airport, move away to a safe location and await further advice."
Heappey said there will be 11 more flights out of Kabul today - but declined to say whether there will be more on Friday, citing the security of troops.
'MAKE IT TO THE BORDER' Meanwhile Defence Secretary Ben Wallace yesterday said Afghans should stay away from the airfield - where the terror group is taking over.
Questioned about what Afghans who have been offered student places or fellowships in the UK should do, Mr Wallace said: "If they think they can make it to a third country, that may be a better option."
Pressed by a Tory backbencher, Mr Wallace added: "I recommend that they try and make it to the border … because it is higher profile going to the airport – that is where the Taliban will be focusing their efforts at the moment."
It comes as ministers said it was almost certain that people would be stranded after the Taliban ordered troops to quit by August 31 — and US President Joe Biden agreed.
Is our military stupid or intentionally sabotaging us? Who deals with the Taliban in good faith?
@disclosetv
JUST IN - Pentagon CENTCOM commander Gen. McKenzie expects more attacks on #Kabul airport and says the U.S. reached out to the Taliban to “make sure they know what we expect them to do to protect us.”
https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1430974351747190789
ISIS and the Taliban are BFFs. Don’t kid yourself. They work in tandem.
White supremacy is getting out of hand. General Milley and Lloyd Austin assured us that White Supremacy is the greatest threat to the United States. 12 American mothers will be saddened to hear that white supremacy claimed their sons today.
Milley and Austin need to resign.
I think ISIS is Shiite and Taliban is Sunni.
They don’t exactly get along all that well when
infidels are absent.
> ISIS and the Taliban are BFFs. <
Below is an old Arab saying. We are seeing the last line of that saying in action today.
I against my brothers.
My brothers and I against our cousins.
My brothers, my cousins, and I against strangers.
Not until they cut the breasts off the thousands of teenage girls who they convinced were really males, Didn’t our Commander and Chief tell us that “transgender rights are the greatest human rights issue of our time! How dare any of you question their wisdom and superior wisdom?
I’d prefer firing squad.
Come on, man. That was four hours ago, five hours ago.
That is crazy talk. The Taliban have us tied to a rape chair.
Weak and pathetic.
What say now, wet noodle? Did you do it on purpose, you decrepit mass of barely-functioning cytoplasm? Was that part of your agreement with the taliban and islamic state? Did they use American materiel for the bombing?
How is the red haired devil going to get out of this one?
Iran-Iraq
So that horrifying total is the “several” and “a certain number” the spokesman referred to earlier?
A shocking atrocity.
Another victory for Islam.
Another layer of reality confronts “President” Biden and his “administration”.
He just wanted to go on a happy vaycay and eat ice cream.
Lara Seligman
@laraseligman
SCOOP: U.S. officials gave the Taliban a list of names of U.S. citizens, green card holders & Afghan allies to grant entry into the outer perimeter of the city’s airport, prompting outrage behind the scenes from lawmakers and military officials.
What the actual F!!!!
Honestly who didn’t see this coming?
The Dementia Joe nightmare gets worse by the minute.
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