Kabul airport suicide blasts kill, injure over 100, including US marines

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26

Two explosions near Kabul international airport on Thursday killed or maimed over 100 people, including several US soldiers of which three were confirmed dead.

The first explosion took place at the nearby Baron’s Hotel and as French intelligence was posting warnings about a second blast, another explosion took place at the gate of the international airport manned by US troops. There was also firing at an Italian military aircraft taking off from Kabul airport.

The explosions were believed to be suicide attacks and a US official said the ISIS (Khorasan) was “most definitely involved”.

Social media showed images of body parts and the dead and injured being carted away to hospitals while the blast scene was littered with crumpled plastic water bottles, scarves, footwear and food packets. The first explosion was captured on camera in the form of a huge black column rising from the hotel into the Kabul night sky. 

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The Pentagon described the two blasts as part of a “complex attack” with the second one claiming the lives of several US soldiers. But it said evacuation operations will continue till August 31.

The explosions will impact the evacuation of foreign nationals, including Indians, which External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said remains the top priority of the Indian government.

Western nations had warned earlier in the day of a possible attack at the airport at the fag-end of a massive airlift that was to end in five days.

The suspicion for the attack has fallen on ISIS and not the Taliban which is deployed at the outer periphery of the airport and its Badri 313 battalion too has taken casualties.

Over 80,000 people have been evacuated from Kabul since August 14 but there are still huge crowds milling around the airport consisting of the minorities, ideological opponents of the Taliban and opportunists.

Sources here said the ISIS (Khorasan) is the obvious suspect because the blasts may have been intended to show up the Taliban’s inability to provide security in Kabul as well target the Americans. But they also pointed out that except for an attempt on the life of a Taliban leader in eastern Afghanistan, the ISIS (Khorasan) has been quiet for the past four to five months.

The Kabul airport has been the scene of death and despair ever since the evacuation started. Over 20 have died in cross fire, accidents and fall from aircraft as they milled in thousands everyday trying to escape the Taliban rule.