At least 6 dead, dozens injured in a powerful blast outside Kabul airport
Kabul, Aug 26 (EFE).- At least six people were killed and dozens injured in a powerful explosion outside the Kabul airport Thursday amid a rush of evacuations by foreign nations from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.
Though there was no official word on casualties in the blast, a humanitarian group said it had received dozens of people at its Kabul health facility who suffered injuries in the explosion.
“More than 30 patients have arrived at our Kabul surgical center so far. Six others already dead on arrival. We have activated all mass casualty protocols,” medical charity Emergency tweeted.
The blast took place at one of the entry gates of the Hamid Karzai International Airport.
“We can confirm an explosion outside Kabul airport. Casualties are unclear at this time. We will provide additional details when we can,” Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby tweeted.
Local TV channel Tolo News said several people suffered wounds in the blast and were hospitalized.
The news channel citing eyewitnesses said the explosion was “powerful and caused casualties.”
Several countries are evacuating their citizens and the Afghans facing the risk of a Taliban backlash ahead of the Aug.31 withdrawal deadline for foreign troops from Afghanistan.
About 5,400 US soldiers are at the Kabul airport to manage its security as America evacuates its citizens and the Afghans who worked with Washington in the past 20 years of war.
US Embassy in Kabul on Wednesday urged American citizens not to go to the airport due to credible “security threats.”
Acting US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ross Wilson Thursday told ABC News that such a threat was “imminent.”
On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned of increasing security risks in Afghanistan.
He said the evacuation was done “in a hostile environment the country now under the Taliban control.
The Kabul airport remains packed with thousands of people a terror alert by many countries.
Britain Thursday said there was a “very credible” report of an “imminent” attack by the Islamic State militants to target those gathering at Kabul airport.
The US has said it would continue with the evacuations until the Aug.31 deadline set by President Joe Biden.
It said it would prioritize the departure of the remaining troops in the last two days.
The Taliban Tuesday said it would not allow the Afghans to gather at the airport to prevent more chaos.
But still, people kept reaching near the facility to escape out of the country.
The Kabul airport has left dramatic scenes with people in droves trying to leave Afghanistan on evacuation flights, triggering chaos that has left almost a dozen dead since Aug.15.
