Pat Stevens/
There are unconfirmed reports of another huge blast in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, moments ago.
Reuters is reporting that two witnesses have heard a blast in an area three to four kilometres from the airport.
Earlier today, a twin suicide blasts at the Kabul International Airport left no fewer than 60 Afghan civilians dead.
The Afghan health ministry also confirmed to CNN that about 140 civilians were injured in the attacks.
The Pentagon also confirmed that 12 US service members were killed and at least 15 injured in the attacks.
Two suicide bombers detonated explosives outside the Abbey Gate of the Kabul international airport. The blasts were followed by gunfire from persons believed to be members of Islamic extremist organisation ISKP.
The US Defence Department said the explosion outside the Kabul Airport was the result of a “complex attack” that resulted in multiple US and civilian casualties.
The Pentagon press secretary, John Kirby, also confirmed that there was at least one other explosion at or near the nearby Baron hotel.
“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,” Kirby wrote on Twitter.
The US military’s central commander, Gen Kenneth McKenzie, in a televised address from the Pentagon, said he expects attacks to continue.
McKenzie vowed that the US would take action against those responsible for the attacks.
He confirmed that the attacks were carried out by Islamic State in Afghanistan, a group known as Islamic State Khorasan Province, or ISKP.
McKenzie said that while he was saddened by the deaths of US service members, the US military would be continuing with Kabul evacuations.
“Right now our focus is on other extremely active threats against the airfield.
“We’re still investigating the exact circumstances of the attac, but that airport security requires physical screening at interface points.
“There’s no substitute for a young United States man or woman conducting these checks,” he said.
He said he has seen “nothing to convince me” that the Taliban let the attack happen.
McKenzie said the US military was now talking to the Taliban about improving security at the airport by widening the cordon around it.
“We’ve reached out to the Taliban, we’ve told them you need to continue to push out the security perimeter. We’ve identified some roads that we would like for them to close they’ve indicated that they’ll they will be willing to close those roads, because we assess the threat of a suicide borne vehicle threat is high right now, so we want to reduce the possibility of one of those vehicles getting close,” he said.
He pointed out that there are drones over the area, with experts constantly assessing the scene for threats, as well as helicopters and aircraft with good imaging systems.
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