Monday, American President Joe Biden warned that an attack was highly likely within the next 24-36 hours. The State Department called the threat credible and specific. The American troops have been advised to secure the airport and bring the Americans into the airfield.
The State Department issued a new security alert early on Sunday morning (Kabul time) instructing people to leave the airport area immediately “due to a specific, credible threat”.
On Thursday, suicide bombers had caused two explosions near Kabul airport killing dozens of Afghans and 13 US troops. Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack.
President Biden vowed to avenge the deaths of the troops, he promised to keep up airstrikes against the Islamic State. The US carried out a drone mission in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, which allegedly killed two IS members as reported by the Pentagon.
The officials made no claim that the two individuals killed by the strike had any direct involvement in the suicide bombing. The Pentagon also refrained from releasing the identities or nationalities of the deceased.
“This strike was not the last,” Biden said in a statement. “We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay”. The extremists can expect more he emphasized.
Biden paid tribute to the bravery and selflessness of the 13 troops who were killed on the gates of Kabul airport. And also admired the courage of the Americans who were being evacuated out of Afganistan under huge security concerns.
Now less then 4,000 US troops are left behind in Kabul, speeding up the evacuation ahead of Biden’s deadline for Auguest 31st.
Among the killed US troops were 11 marines, 1 navy sailor and one army soldier. This are the first Us troop casualties since Feburary 2020. When Trump struck a deal with the Taliban to halt attacks on American soldiers in exchange for a withdrawal.
