Afghanistan: Explosion Near Kabul Airport, US Takes Military Action Against ISIS-K Bombers

New Delhi: A rocket struck a neighborhood just northwest of Kabul’s airport today, killing a child, Associated Press reported the Afghan police chief as saying.

In the aftermath of the rocket that struck Kabul’s Khuwja Bughra neighborhood, visuals showed smoke rising from building at the site around a kilometer (half a mile) from the airport.

ALSO READ | US Warns Of ‘Credible Threat’ Near Kabul Airport, Believes Another Attack ‘Highly Likely’ In 24-36 Hrs
 
The number of casualties is not yet confirmed while according to the Afghanistan Times, six people including a child were killed and some others were injured. No group immediately had claimed the attack.

US Attacks ISIS-K Suicide Bombers

The US on Sunday targeted a vehicle carrying multiple suicide bombers from Afghanistan’s Islamic State affiliate. 

This airstrike aimed to foil their plans of targetting the ongoing American military evacuation at Kabul’s international airport, officials said as reported by AP.

“US military forces conducted a self-defense unmanned over-the-horizon airstrike today on a vehicle in Kabul, eliminating an imminent ISIS-K threat to Hamid Karzai International Airport. We’re confident we successfully hit the target”: Bill Urban, US Central Command spokesperson said, news agency ANI reported

“Significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material. We are assessing the possibilities of civilian casualties, though we have no indications at this time,” he added.

Previously, an Islamic State affiliate’s suicide attack had killed over 180 people.

Ahead of an August 31 deadline to withdraw all troops from America’s longest war,  US military cargo planes continued their runs into the airport Sunday.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had earlier said in a message to journalists that the US strike targeted a suicide bomber as he drove a vehicle loaded with explosives. 

AFP also reported two American military officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations, terming the airstrike as successful. According to them, the strike caused significant secondary explosions indicating the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material in the vehicle.

This is the second strike by America since the airport suicide bombing. 

US Warns About ‘Threat’ Near Kabul Airport

A strike in Nangarhar province on Saturday killed an Islamic State member believed to be involved in planning attacks against the United States in Kabul. The strike killed one person, spokesman Navy Capt William Urban had said.

The US action on Sunday comes after President Joe Biden warned that terrorists could once again target Kabul airport in the next 24 to 36 hours.

After the retaliatory airstrikes by the US military on ISIS-K in Kabul, the Biden government warned its citizens on Saturday of a “specific, credible threat” near Kabul airport. The US government urged the citizens to leave the area considering the deadly attack on crowds fleeing Taliban rule in Afghanistan on Thursday, reported AFP.

“Due to a specific, credible threat, all US citizens in the vicinity of Kabul airport… should leave the airport area immediately,” the US Embassy in Kabul said in a security alert.

“The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high,” Biden said.