At least four U.S. Marines have been killed in a suicide attack outside the Kabul airport, multiple reports confirm. At least a dozen U.S. service members have reportedly been killed.
Fox News reported that U.S. officials confirmed the troop injuries, though it is currently unclear how many injuries or casualties have occurred as a result of the explosion. A witness to the attack told Fox News that an infant was killed in the explosion.
BREAKING: At least 3 U.S. troops wounded in suicide bombing outside Abbey Gate at Kabul airport: U.S. officials
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) August 26, 2021
Witness to suicide bombing in Kabul tells FOX an infant died in the explosion, said Americans were injured.
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) August 26, 2021
Politico’s Lara Seligman posted on Twitter that “three sources confirm US casualties” and that “US forces returned fire after first explosion.” Politico reporter Andrew Desiderio also reported several casualties. Casualties are expected to increase as more information is received.
BREAKING — Our sources describe absolute mayhem right now at HKIA.
-Several U.S. casualties
-U.S. troops returned fire after first explosion
-NATO troops ordered to leave airport gates immediatelyw/ @laraseligman @alexbward https://t.co/reOrg85oQQ
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) August 26, 2021
Reports currently put the number of dead in the dozens. At least 12 U.S. service members have been killed, along with at least 60 Afghans. More than 100 total people have been injured.
Videos reportedly showing the scene at Kabul airport began circulating on social media, showing numerous injuries and casualties. You can watch them here and here (WARNING: Graphic Content).
New York Times reporter Fahim Abed, who is based in Kabul, reported that there are at least “120 wounded” from the attacks, with “60% of wounded in the critical condition.
Among the dead are four U.S. Marines, in addition to the three Marines who were injured.
As The Daily Wire reported, the Pentagon confirmed that an explosion rocked Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport on Thursday, just days ahead of the Biden administration’s deadline to evacuate Americans and Afghan visa holders from the country, which has fallen to Taliban rule in the past few weeks.
“We can confirm an explosion outside Kabul airport. Casualties are unclear at this time. We will provide additional details when we can,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby wrote on Twitter.
Following this confirmation, a second explosion occurred near a hotel that has been used as a gathering point for Americans waiting to be evacuated.
Our @JenGriffinFNC reporting a possible 2nd explosion near a hotel that in the past has been a gathering point for Americans waiting to be evacuated
— John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) August 26, 2021
The first explosion reportedly occurred where people had lined up to be processed to leave Afghanistan.
Kirby confirmed the multiple attacks and noted they had resulted in “a number of US & civilian casualties.”
We can confirm that the explosion at the Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties. We can also confirm at least one other explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate. We will continue to update.
— John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) August 26, 2021
The Washington Post’s Liz Sly reported that the attacks have “nixed hopes of evacuation for the last thousands still hoping to make it out,” and that she was hearing “the US military is sealing shut the airport gates.”
The Kabul airport attack has nixed hopes of evacuation for the last thousands still hoping to make it out. Am hearing the US military is sealing shut the airport gates. The casualty numbers are growing by the minute. A tragedy piled on a tragedy.
— Liz Sly (@LizSly) August 26, 2021
President Joe Biden set August 31 as a deadline to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan, even though thousands of Americans and Afghans requesting visas remain in the country.
“The sooner we can finish, the better,” Biden said Tuesday during a White House address. “Every day we’re on the ground is another day we know that [Islamic State-affiliate] ISIS-K is seeking to target the airport, attack both U.S. and allied forces and innocent civilians.”
“Thus far, the Taliban have been taking steps to work with us so we can get our people out,” he added. “But it’s a tenuous situation. We’ve already had some gun fighting break out. We run a serious risk of it breaking down, as time goes on.”
The attacks near the Kabul airport come just hours after the State Department warned of potential terrorist attacks, telling Americans outside the gates of the airport to “leave immediately,” Fox reported. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also warned on Wednesday of a “very real possibility” of an attack.
Biden has reportedly been briefed on the current situation.
This is a breaking news story, refresh the page for updates.