This archive report was first published on 26 August 2021.
On August 26, 2021, a chaotic scene unfolded near Kabul's airport as at least two explosions rocked the area, leaving US service members and civilians among the casualties.
The Pentagon confirmed the blasts, with one occurring near the Abbey Gate and the other close to the Baron Hotel. According to two US officials, at least one of the explosions appeared to be a suicide bombing.
‘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,’ Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Twitter.
A Taliban official reported at least 13 people killed, including children, with many Taliban guards wounded. US officials estimated that up to three US service members were among those hurt, with one seriously injured.
The US Embassy in Kabul described a ‘large explosion’ and reported gunfire in the area. The explosion came after the US and allies urged Afghans to leave the area due to a threat by Islamic State.
A massive airlift of foreign nationals and their families, as well as some Afghans, had been underway since the day before Taliban forces captured Kabul on August 15, 2021.
