give a day two suicide bombings Thousands of desperate fleeing Taliban targeted and over 100 killed, evacuation flights from Afghanistan resume with renewed vigor on Friday.
According to the Associated Press, the call for prayer in Kabul was accompanied by the roar of departing planes, with the anxious crowd outside the airport as large as ever. Dozens of Taliban members with heavy weapons patrolled an area about 500 meters (1,600 ft) from the airport to prevent anyone from going further.
In what was the deadliest day for US forces in Afghanistan since August 2011, at least 100 Afghan and 13 US soldiers were killed in bombings near Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport on Thursday, Afghan and US officials said. .
The Afghan branch of the terrorist organization “Islamic State”, known as ISIS-Khorasan, IS-K or ISIS-K took responsibility for the attacks. The group’s name is derived from Khorasan Province, a region that once included Afghanistan, Iran, and extensive areas of Central Asia in the Middle Ages.
Afghan officials warned that the real toll could be higher, with the morgue being stretched to capacity and the possibility that relatives are moving bodies away from the scene.
At least 10 bodies were lying on the grounds outside Kabul’s Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital, where relatives said the morgue could no longer take it, the news agency said. . Afghans said many of the dead were unclaimed as family members were traveling from distant provinces.
China condemns Kabul attack, keeps embassy open
China says it condemns the attacks on Kabul airport and is “ready to work with the international community to address the threat of terrorism and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a source of terrorism again”.
Kabul: Afghans lie on a hospital bed after being injured in deadly attacks outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, August 27, 2021. (AP)
Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian’s remarks on Friday afternoon were Beijing’s first comments on the suicide bombings near Kabul airport. The spokesman said no Chinese civilians were killed or injured in the attacks and that China advised its citizens in the country to “strengthen security precautions”.
Despite the chaos since the Taliban came to power, China has kept its embassy in Kabul open and recently hosted talks between the Taliban and its ambassador. “The head of the Afghan Taliban has made it clear to China that it will never allow any force to use Afghan territory to do things harmful to China,” Zhao was quoted as saying by the AP.
Russia says danger remains in Afghanistan
The Kremlin has said that there has been a threat to all in Afghanistan since the attack on Kabul airport and that Islamic State and other terrorist groups are trying to capitalize on the chaos in the country.
Smoke rises from an explosion outside an airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, August 26, 2021. The blast took place outside Kabul airport, where thousands of people are trying to flee the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. (AP photo/Wally Sabowoon)
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that Russia’s intelligence services were working round the clock to prevent any further spread to neighboring regions.
UK says it is in final stages of Kabul evacuation
The British Defense Ministry said its forces had entered the final stages of evacuating people from Kabul’s airport and closed processing facilities.
Processing facilities inside Kabul’s Baron Hotel have been closed.
“Our top priority as we move through this process will be the safety of all those working in an increased threat environment” – @BWallaceMP
read more here ??https://t.co/deG1EYF0XP
— Ministry of Defense Press Office (@DefenceHQPress) August 27, 2021
The ministry said efforts would now be focused on evacuating British nationals and others who have already been cleared to leave and are already at the airport. It states that no further calls will be made to the airport to evacuate people.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement: “It is with deep regret that not everyone has been evacuated during this process.”
‘Will Hunt You Down’: Biden Warns Bombers at Kabul Airport
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden vowed to complete the evacuation of American citizens and others from Afghanistan despite the deadly suicide bombings at Kabul airport. He also promised to avenge the deaths, blaming the extremists: “We will hunt you down and pay you.”
President Joe Biden listens to a question about the bombings at Kabul airport that killed at least 13 US service members from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021 in Washington. (AP)
Speaking with the sentiments of the White House, Biden said the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan ally was to blame for the attacks that killed 13 US service members and many more Afghan civilians. He said there was no evidence that he colluded with the Taliban, who now control the country.
“We have some reason to believe that we know who they are,” he said of the attackers and gunmen involved. “Not sure.”
He said he had instructed military commanders to develop a plan to attack the “assets, leadership and facilities” of IS.
“We will respond with force and precision, at our time, at the place of our choice,” Biden said, adding, “These ISIS terrorists will not win.” We will save the Americans; We will take out our Afghan allies and our mission will continue. America will not be intimidated.”
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