Kabul airport explosion - Latest News
KABUL BLAST: At least two people, including a kid, were killed while three others were injured after a rocket hit a residential building in Kabul on Sunday, according to media reports. The blast took place in Khawaja Bughra area. Photos and videos on social media show large plumes of smoke rising from the site at around 1.30pm UK time, while panic could be heard among people present there.
Meanwhile, a US airstrike targeted a suicide bomber in a vehicle who wanted to strike Kabul international airport amid the American evacuation. The two strikes initially appeared to be separate incidents.
KABUL ROCKET ATTACK: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
7:17 pm: Zabihullah Mujahid said in a message to journalists that the strike targeted the bomber as he drove a vehicle loaded with explosives. Mujahid offered few other details.
7:11 pm: Taliban spokesman says that a US airstrike targeted a suicide bomber in a vehicle who wanted to strike Kabul international airport amid the American evacuation there. Zabihullah Mujahid said in a message to journalists that the strike happened Sunday.
7:03 pm: Two witnesses said the blast appeared to have been caused by a rocket that hit a house in an area to the northern side of the Kabul airport but there was no immediate confirmation: Reuters
7:00 pm: News agency Reuters claimed it was US that carried out a military strike targetting suspected ISIS-K terrorists in Kabul.
6:30 pm: 2 people, including a kid, has died in the rocket attack.
6:18 pm: Explosion near Kabul airport
Earlier on Saturday, United States president Joe Biden had warned that a new terror attack was likely at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan in less than two days, as he put the timeframe for the predicted attack to "the next 24 to 36 hours". The State Department also urged all US citizens to leave the area near the airport because of a "specific, credible threat".
The U.S. State Department had also urged all US citizens to leave the area near the airport because of a "specific, credible threat". “The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours,” Biden had said on Saturday.
Biden had also wowed to keep up retaliatory strikes against the terrorists responsible for Thursday's suicide bombing at the airport that killed 13 US service members and at least 170 Afghans. A local branch of the Islamic State group - Islamic State in Khorasan Province (IS-K) - claimed the attack.
READ MORE: Afghanistan: UN Security Council drops Taliban reference from statement on terror activities
