New York Times reporter, Fahim Abed, who is based in Kabul, Afghanistan, is now reporting that there have been at least “40 dead bodies” and “120 wounded” transferred to Kabul area hospitals, and 60% of those incoming are in critical condition. Abed also warned that the world may not get an accurate count of casualties because the Taliban is asking health care workers on the ground not to report casualty numbers.
“At least 40 dead bodies and 120 wounded transferred to Kabul hospitals, with 60% of wounded in the critical condition,” Abed said Thursday shortly after news broke of a suicide bombing near Hamid Karzai International Airport and, later, a second explosion outside the Baron Hotel, where many evacuees from Kabul had been waiting.
Abed also reported, shortly after, that the Taliban was instructing health care workers not to report a casualty count and pleaded with Taliban officials to provide transparency on the extent of the attack.
“Twin blast close to the Kabul airport, but none of the health officials provides details and figures, they were asked by the Taliban not to,” Abed said on Twitter. “@Zabehulah_M33 @IeaOffice as a group in control of Kabul, you should provide information, it is not working this way.”
At least 3 Americans Marines and dozens of Afghan nationals were wounded in the attack according to sources on the ground, as The Daily Wire noted earlier on Thursday.
“At least three U.S. Marines have been injured in a suicide attack outside the Kabul airport, multiple reports confirm,” The Daily Wire said. “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.”
Casualties — including American casualties — are expected to rise precipitously.
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.
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.
So far, the United States is saying that it will continue its on-the-ground operations, but Americans are being told to leave the airport immediately. Canadian forces are withdrawing their presence from Kabul, according to the BBC.
This is a breaking news story, please stay with The Daily Wire for updates.