explosion in afghanistan
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cnn kabul airport
kabul airport
airport explosion
One US official said there are injuries among Afghans, but there is no information yet on any US casualties.
Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby confirmed there was an explosion outside of the airport. "We can confirm an explosion outside Kabul airport. Casualties are unclear at this time. We will provide additional details when we can," he said in a tweet.
US officials said earlier on Thursday that concerns about security around the airport have increased based on "a very specific threat stream."
The top US diplomat in Kabul, Amb. Ross Wilson, said Thursday that he could not get into the specifics of the security threat outside the gates of the Kabul airport cited in an embassy alert, but noted that "it was clearly regarded as credible, as imminent, as compelling."
US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the explosion outside Kabul airport, a White House official said.
A spokesperson for the UK government said the government was "working urgently to establish what has happened and its impact on the ongoing evacuation effort."
"Our primary concern remains the safety of our personnel, British citizens and the citizens of Afghanistan. We are in close contact with our US and other NATO allies at an operational level on the immediate response to this incident."
The Turkish defence ministry has said there were two explosions outside Kabul airport and there was no damage to Turkish units, Reuters is reporting.
Clouds of smoke and gunfire heard in live shot from Kabul Airport after the explosion, this was appearing to show the first blast at the airportKABUL AIRPORT ATTACK
- - 2 bombings near airport
- - 1 blast followed by gunfire
- - At least 13 dead, incl. children
- - 'Many' injured, death toll to rise
- - Foreigners among the victims
- - At least 4 Americans injured
#Breaking #Kabul Explosion
— suban m (@Midssuban) August 26, 2021
Reports of Second Explosion taking place @GeopolUpdates 😱😱😠pic.twitter.com/RrJlsB5gf0
Video: Kabul explosion video
The Pentagon says there was an explosion outside Kabul airport. Spokesman John Kirby said there was no immediate word on casualties in the blast. Thousands of Afghans have been gathered at the airport for days trying to flee the country Amelia Gentleman Amelia Gentleman
A minicab driver from south London had been waiting at the gate all day and all last night trying without success to show his British passport to the guards at the gates of Baron hotel, but decided to leave around 3pm
Kabul explosion video
when he received warnings via Whatsapp that there was a threat of a terror attack.
He told the
Second explosion now reported outside Kabul airport. At least 13 dead including children and many injured, including three US Marines. Updates to follow.
I was there with my wife and children, and I decided to come home. There were thousands of people by the Baron gate. Some of them were leaving but most of them stayed.
There were other British passport holders in the queue, and people who had worked for Nato or for the British forces, sitting on the roadside, helpless like me.
U.S. Embassy Kabul: "There has been a large explosion at the airport, & there are reports of gunfire. U.S. citizens should avoid traveling to the airport & avoid airport gates at this time. U.S. citizens now at the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate should leave immediately."Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby confirmed there was an explosion outside of the airport. "We can confirm an explosion outside Kabul airport. Casualties are unclear at this time. We will provide additional details when we can," he said in a tweet.
US officials said earlier on Thursday that concerns about security around the airport have increased based on "a very specific threat stream."
The top US diplomat in Kabul, Amb. Ross Wilson, said Thursday that he could not get into the specifics of the security threat outside the gates of the Kabul airport cited in an embassy alert, but noted that "it was clearly regarded as credible, as imminent, as compelling."
US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the explosion outside Kabul airport, a White House official said.
A spokesperson for the UK government said the government was "working urgently to establish what has happened and its impact on the ongoing evacuation effort."
"Our primary concern remains the safety of our personnel, British citizens and the citizens of Afghanistan. We are in close contact with our US and other NATO allies at an operational level on the immediate response to this incident."