Multiple explosions rock Kabul day ahead of final pullout

Kabul, Aug 30 (EFE).- Multiple explosions rocked the capital city of Kabul on Monday, a day before the final withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.

The blasts were supposedly caused by rockets in the morning, according to several witnesses and footage of the incident released by local media.

Local broadcaster Tolo, citing eyewitnesses, reported that the rockets were fired from the Khair Khana area near the Kabul airport.

Images and videos posted on social networks or broadcast on local television channels show some damage to houses and vehicles caused by the blasts.

So far there has been no official information about the causes of the explosion, the magnitude of the damage or casualties.

Meanwhile, the US armed forces have been carrying on with its evacuation operations at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA), the White House reported.

“National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chief of Staff Ron Klain have briefed the President on the rocket attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport,” White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement.

“The President was informed that operations continue uninterrupted at HKIA, and has reconfirmed his order that commanders redouble their efforts to prioritize doing whatever is necessary to protect our forces on the ground,” Psaki added.

Monday’s blasts come a day after Kabul was hit by two other explosions that left at least six people dead.

One was caused by an American drone attack on a vehicle allegedly carrying members of the Islamic State, and another by the impact of a rocket on a house.

Both incidents occurred near Kabul airport and come at a time of heightened tensions after the US government warned of “credible threats” against the airport, where US troops are concentrated and where on Thursday there was an attack causing at least 170 deaths. EFE

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