The Islamic State group assumed, this Thursday afternoon (26), the responsibility for the explosions at Kabul international airport which killed at least 72 people.
The confirmation, according to Reuters, was made by IE-linked Amaq News news agency in Telegram groups.
According to this account, a faction-linked suicide bomber managed to bypass security checks and approach a conglomerate of translators and people who collaborated with the US occupation forces. The message cites that the attack killed around 60 people and injured more than 100, including members of the Taliban.
The blasts reached the outskirts of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai Airport, where Afghans and Westerners are flocking to seek a place in the US-led evacuation operation, which escalated after the Taliban took over local power.
According to information from the Wall Street Journal, among the victims of the attacks are at least 60 Afghans; the US government has also confirmed the deaths of 12 US servicemen – in what could be one of the deadliest attacks on US forces in a 20-year war.
The explosions came after the White House and its allies warned of imminent risks of terrorist acts by the Afghan branch of Islamic State. The so-called EI-K, in reference to the Khorasan region, is a declared opponent of the Taliban.
The warning from Western countries had a strong impact on the process of rescuing people in the country on Thursday. The final date for the withdrawal of American troops, reinforced by President Joe Biden, is August 31.
US officials previously told the Associated Press that they believed the terrorist group was responsible for what the Pentagon described as a “complex attack.”
In the afternoon, at a press conference, the head of the US military command, General Kenneth McKenzie, said the United States was determined to determine the perpetrators of the attacks and to act against them. According to him, the emphasis is also on the absence of new attacks.
“We have other active threats,” he explained. “The model is made up of multiple attacks and we want to be prepared and ready to defend ourselves.”
About 5,200 US military personnel have secured Kabul airport, according to the United States, while US forces are carrying out the withdrawal operation.
The two farm explosions hit the outskirts of the terminal, where Afghans and Westerners congregate to attempt an evacuation vacancy. One took place at the main entrance to the terminal, Abbey Gate, and another near the nearby Baron Hotel, according to the Pentagon. The US embassy in Kabul also reported gunfire.
A Taliban spokesperson posted a statement on Twitter in which he said he “strongly condemns” the attack, “which took place in an area where US forces are responsible for security.” The group also said that “it pays great attention to the safety and protection of its staff.”
UN Secretary General António Guterres condemned what he called a “terrorist attack that killed and injured civilians”.