Explosion at Kabul airport: Taliban say 13 people were killed in an explosion at an evacuation site in Afghanistan

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A Taliban official said at least 13 people were killed, including children, and several Taliban guards were wounded in an explosion outside Kabul airport.

It was reported that the explosion at the airport, where thousands of people are trying to flee the country, injured three US soldiers.

No Britons were reported killed or injured, but Boris Johnson is scheduled to chair an emergency meeting with Cooper at a later time.

The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) said it was not clear whether there were casualties so far, but some claimed that many people were injured.

Fox News reported a second explosion.

Suspicion of any attack targeting the crowd is likely to fall on the Islamic State, not the Taliban, who have deployed at the airport gates in an attempt to control the crowds.

Another US official said the first explosion appeared to have been caused by a suicide bombing, citing an early report and warning that information might change.

Three US service members were wounded in a “complex suicide bombing” near Abbey Gate, according to a Fox News reporter. Others reported an explosion at the Baron Hotel.

The US Embassy in Kabul warned anyone at Abe Gate, East Gate or North Gate to leave immediately.

There were no British casualties, according to Larissa Brown, the Times’ defense editor.

Thousands of Afghans have gathered at the airport for days in an attempt to flee the country since the Taliban seized power earlier this month. Western countries have warned of a possible attack.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed the first explosion, and the White House said Joe Biden had been briefed on it.

Downing Street said the prime minister had been updated and would chair an emergency Cobra meeting on Thursday afternoon.

The New York Times said initial reports indicated that the explosion was caused by at least one suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest.

Nous Ghani, a Conservative MP, said she was on the phone with someone outside Kabul airport when the blast occurred.

Representative Welden tweeted: “Explosion at Kabul airport. I was on the phone with an Afghan outside the airport when he heard the explosion.

“We pray for him to walk away safely and to get his family safely out of this nightmare.”

Kabir Hakal, a lecturer at Kabul University, tweeted that several people were injured: “Very shocking news coming from #Kabul. News of explosion of tactics used by the #Taliban from inside the airport. Reports of heavy casualties. Taliban are creating crisis in #Afghanistan. Knows The world situation in the country, but does nothing. #AfghanistanB burning.”

Alicia Kearns, another Conservative Party member, wrote on Twitter: “Bomb or cannon attack on the north gate of the Baron Hotel. Worried this will ruin the eviction – so much harm. My heart goes out to all the wounded and dead.”

Several countries urged people to avoid the airport earlier in the day, and one said there was a threat of a suicide bombing. But only days — or even hours for some states — before the evacuation effort ended, it seemed that few had heeded the call.

The Taliban have vowed not to attack Western forces during the evacuation, but insist that foreign forces must leave by the deadline set by the United States on Tuesday.

Overnight, warnings emerged from Western capitals about a threat from the Islamic State in Afghanistan, which likely saw a strengthening in its ranks with the Taliban releasing prisoners during their raid across the country.

Britain’s Armed Forces Minister James Hebey told the BBC early on Thursday that there were “very credible reports of an imminent attack” at the airport, possibly within hours.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre de Croo said his country had received information from the United States and other countries about “the threat of suicide attacks on a crowd.” The acting US ambassador to Kabul, Ross Wilson, said the security threat at the airport during the night was “clearly perceived as credible, imminent, and compelling”.

Kirby said the explosion resulted in an “unknown number of casualties”. He wrote on Twitter: “We can confirm that the explosion near the monastery gate at Kabul Airport resulted in an unknown number of casualties. We will continue to update.”

The ISIS faction operating in Afghanistan is called “Valiyat-Khorasan” by Isis (Isis-K by others), meaning “Khorasan Province”. Its “states” are territorial factions in different parts of the world. It covers Afghanistan, Pakistan and other parts of South Asia.

They fought the Taliban every now and then, as well as Afghan forces, and staged major terrorist attacks. They have not claimed any attacks on the Taliban since August 14 but have previously done so every few days.

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