Pentagon says suicide bomber carried out Kabul airport attack

Thursday’s deadly attack in the Afghan capital was carried out by a single suicide bomber at a gate at the city’s international airport and there was no second explosion at a nearby hotel, the Pentagon said on Friday.

The attack on the Kabul airport on Thursday, in which 13 American soldiers and at least 79 Afghans were killed, was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group. Its local affiliate, known as Islamic State-Khorosan, or IS-K, has become an enemy of both the West and the Taliban.

“I can confirm to you that we do not believe there was a second explosion in or near the Baron Hotel, that it was a suicide bomber,” Army Major General William Taylor told reporters. He said US troops injured in the attack are now being treated in Germany.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the United States believes there are still “specific and credible” threats.

“We are certainly prepared and would look forward to future attempts,” Kirby said, adding: “We are monitoring these threats, very, very specifically, virtually in real time.”

‘Kabul still reeling from deadly attacks on Thursday’

Thursday’s attack occurred during a US-led evacuation of tens of thousands of people trying to flee the Taliban.

US General Frank McKenzie, head of the US Central Command, had said Thursday that the initial information was that two suicide bombers had attacked the airport gate and the nearby Baron Hotel.

The suicide bombing marked the deadliest day for US forces in Afghanistan since August 2011.

In an emotional speech, President Joe Biden promised to hunt down the perpetrators and move forward with the evacuation operation.

“We will rescue the Americans; We will bring out our Afghan allies and our mission will continue, ”Biden said.

( Jowharwith REUTERS)