The particularly deadly suicide bombing that hit Kabul airport in Afghanistan on Thursday was carried out by a single perpetrator, the Pentagon said on Friday, after initially claiming that there had been two explosions. by two suicide bombers.
“We don’t think there was a second explosion at the Hotel Baron or near the hotel, (we think) that there was only one perpetrator of the suicide bombing”, a General Hank Taylor said at a press conference.
At least 85 dead, including 13 American soldiers
A second explosion was first reported near a hotel near the airport. The attack, claimed by the Islamic State group in Khorasan and which killed at least 85 people including 13 American soldiers, sowed terror among the thousands of people seeking evacuation, gathered around the perimeter of the airport.
“There are a lot of women and children among the victims. Most people are shocked, traumatized, ”said an official in the former government overthrown in mid-August by the Taliban on Friday.
Evacuation operations will continue “until the last moment”
The operations still face “specific and credible threats,” said US Army spokesman John Kirby. But the evacuation operations will continue “until the last moment”, assured Washington.
More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since August 14, and 5,400 are still at the airport to leave the country.