Kabul explosion: US officials call it 'suicide attack', believe ISIS to be behind blast

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WASHINGTON: A US official says the complex attack outside Kabul airport is definitely believed to have been carried out by the Islamic State group. The official says members of the US military were wounded in Thursday's attack, which involved two suicide bombers and gunmen. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations. The Islamic State group is more radical than the Taliban and has carried out a wave of attacks targeting civilians.

The official says evacuation flights have continued to take off from Kabul airport in the waning days of an airlift to help people flee the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. 

According to a local reporter, a suicide attacker blew himself up in the middle of a large crowd and another attacker started shooting. "AFG Explosion took place outside of the eastern gate of airport and gunfire is underway. There are casualties and fatalities, multiple eyewitnesses tells me," Afghan reporter Bilal Sarwary tweeted.

A Taliban official said at least 13 people were killed in the blast, including children, and many Taliban guards were wounded. A U.S. official, citing initial information, told Reuters as many as 5 U.S. military personnel may have been hurt, including at least one seriously.

In recent days, Kabul airport has been witnessing chaotic scenes as people are reaching the airport in hurry to escape from the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Second explosion reported in Kabul, near hotel where Americans gathered

A second explosion struck Kabul on Thursday near a hotel in Afghanistan's capital, where US citizens were gathering to be evacuated, Fox News reported. The second explosion took place after a suicide bombing earlier in the day near the gates of the Kabul airport. Soon after the first explosion at Kabul airport, France Ambassador to Afghanistan had warned of a second possible explosion at the airport.

"To all our Afghan friends: If you are near the airport gates, getaway urgently and take shelter. A second explosion is possible," tweeted French envoy David Martinon.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the situation has seriously deteriorated near the Kabul airport after several explosions happened in the last hours.