A double terrorist attack on one of the entrances to the Kabul airport caused a massacre on Thursday, just hours after the United States and its allies in Afghanistan warned of the "imminent" threat of terrorist attacks during the evacuation of their troops and Afghan refugees.
"We can confirm that the explosion at [the point] Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that caused multiple American and 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. reporting, "Pentagon spokesman John Kirby explained on Twitter.
Military sources confirmed to NBC News, sister network of Noticias Telemundo, that three US soldiers were injured as a result of the explosions.
The Russian authorities, quoted by the information agency AP, reported that it was a suicide attack that caused at least 2 deaths and 15 injuries.
The Taliban assured from their side that there are at least 13 dead and another 70 wounded.
A source in the government of President Joe Biden, quoted by the AP, said under anonymity that "it is definitely believed" that the attack was perpetrated by the Islamic State group, a threat that the Pentagon had already warned about.
The attack occurred when hundreds of people were waiting to access the airport facilities, in their attempt to secure a place on one of the flights that are taking Western civilians and Afghan citizens out of Afghanistan, according to AP.
Dozens of wounded were arriving at several hospitals in Kabul, amid chaotic scenes to help the most serious, according to the live signal of the television channel Al Jazeera from the center of the Afghan capital.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned "the horrible terrorist attack".
"Our priority continues to be to evacuate as many people as possible to safety as soon as possible," he noted on Twitter.
This incident is the latest setback in US efforts to evacuate thousands of Afghan Americans and collaborators before the August 31 date set by President Joe Biden to complete the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
Biden has already been briefed on the explosion, according to the NBC News network.
Despite warnings from the United States and other countries about the risk of an attack, thousands of people crowded around the airport for another day in their attempt to flee from the Taliban, who on August 15 seized power with little difficulty. .
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The US embassy in Kabul on Wednesday night urged Americans in the country not to travel to the airport without individual instructions from a government representative, citing security threats outside the compound.
In addition, he urged citizens located at three specific access points to "get out immediately" from there.
The State Department said Wednesday there were still 1,500 Americans left in Afghanistan.
According to the head of diplomacy, 4,500 were evacuated in the last 10 days.
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Allies who have joined Washington in the timed evacuation of its citizens and vulnerable Afghans also issued similar alerts on the security situation.
"There is a continuing and high threat of terrorist attack," the British Foreign Office said in a travel tip updated late on Wednesday, explaining that going to the airport and looking for "a safe place" should be avoided.
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British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey told Sky News on Thursday that an "imminent and deadly attack" could take place at Kabul airport in a matter of hours.
Australia also urged its citizens to stay away from the airfield, warning of a "very high threat of a terrorist attack" at this location.
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Kabul airport has been the scene of chaos and fear since the insurgent group's conquest.
Over the weekend, US defense officials warned of specific threats from the Islamic State (ISIS) group against those trying to leave Afghanistan.
Biden had also warned of the risk that the Afghan wing of the Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), would carry out an attack.
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"Every day that we are on the ground is another day in which we know that ISIS-K is trying to attack the airport and attack both US and allied forces and innocent civilians," he said Tuesday.
The president ultimately decided not to extend his deadline to permanently leave the country after 20 years of war, despite criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, as well as his Western partners.
Biden has also been criticized for failing to foresee that the Taliban would advance so quickly to seize power in just 10 days with little resistance.
With information from AP and
NBC News