Numerous dead: IS terrorism at Kabul airport

In the midst of the evacuation operation in Kabul, terrorists of the “Islamic State” killed numerous Afghans and twelve US soldiers. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the airport.

There had been warnings of terrorist attacks in the midst of the chaotic scenes in Kabul for days – now this cruel scenario has become a reality. Shortly before the end of the international evacuation operation, terrorists of the “Islamic State” killed numerous people who had hoped to leave the airport outside the gates. How many people died in total is unclear. At least 60 men, women and children died, according to Afghan authorities.

Twelve US soldiers killed

The victims among the US soldiers who secure parts of the airport grounds and the entrances have so far been confirmed. US General Kenneth McKenzie, who heads the US central command CENTCOM, announced that twelve US soldiers had been killed. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby also confirmed that there was another explosion in a nearby hotel. There, British citizens and vulnerable Afghans are being prepared for their evacuation to Great Britain.

General McKenzie also commented on the attack at the airport: According to this, at least two suicide bombers blew themselves up there. After the detonations, several IS fighters opened fire on civilians and soldiers. Kirby had previously spoken of a “complex attack”.

An eyewitness from Kabul reported that after the explosion, US soldiers used tear gas at another airport gate to disperse people. At the time there were 2,000 to 4,000 people there. Several women and girls were injured by the tear gas.

Bundeswehr not involved

According to the Bundeswehr operations command, no Bundeswehr forces are affected. Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke of an “absolutely vile attack”. Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer condemned the attack and expressed her condolences to the families of the victims.

The IS has meanwhile claimed the act for itself. IS in Afghanistan acts independently of the Taliban and advocates an even more extreme interpretation of Islam. In the past few days there had been increasing warnings of terrorist attacks by the terrorist militia around the airport in Kabul. The US embassy had called on US citizens who were at Abbey Gate, East Gate or North Gate on Thursday night to leave the area “immediately”. Britain’s Secretary of Defense, James Heappey, spoke that morning of the threat of a “serious, immediate, fatal attack” within hours on the airport or the centers used by Western troops.

German mission ended

Nevertheless, despite all the warnings, thousands of people huddled at the gates and tried to get into one of the supposedly last machines. Many Western states have now ended their evacuation missions – including the Bundeswehr. In the evening (local time) the last machines started with the destination Tashkent in Uzbekistan. Kramp-Karrenbauer said that all Bundeswehr soldiers involved, employees of the Federal Foreign Office and federal police officers had also left Afghanistan.

According to the Defense Minister, since the radical Islamic Taliban came to power around two weeks ago, the Bundeswehr has evacuated 5,347 people from 45 nations from Kabul – including around 5,000 Afghans.

The US armed forces had flown around 13,400 people from Afghanistan until yesterday. This increases the number of people evacuated by the United States and its allies since August 14 to around 95,700, announced the US government. The people still staying in Kabul – including thousands of local staff who worked for the German armed forces – are running out of time. The withdrawal of US troops from Kabul is due to end on August 31. Without US support, however, a continuation of the evacuation flights is unthinkable.

Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the federal government had been planning for the time after the airlift for some time. She is working flat out to create exit opportunities for the remaining local workers and Afghans who are particularly at risk. He will travel to the region in the coming days, including Turkey, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. The aim is to ensure that people can get quickly and safely from the border to the German embassies in Afghanistan’s neighboring countries.