Kabul international airport bombing leaves 60 dead, Afghan officials say; Australia suspends evacuation mission

At least 143 people were wounded by the blasts.(AP: Mohammad Asif Khan)

After days of warnings about a possible Islamic State terror attack in the Afghan capital, officials say at least 60 people have been killed in suicide bombings outside Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA).

The Pentagon has confirmed at least 13 US troops were killed when two suicide bombers attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to HKIA after the Taliban once again seized power in the nation.

All Australian defence personnel have left Afghanistan and were not impacted by the blast.

Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), an affiliate group of the Islamic State group that operates in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the attack.

“We will not forgive, we will not forget,” US President Joe Biden said during a televised live conference.

“We will hunt you down and make you pay.”

The explosions happened near HKIA’s Abbey Gate and outside the nearby Baron Hotel, once a regular host to visiting foreigners.

“Australia condemns the evil, the calculated and inhuman attacks that were undertaken in Kabul overnight on the innocent and on the brave,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

“We join with our American and Afghan friends in mourning their terrible and awful loss.”

US Central Command chief Kenneth McKenzie said after the blasts, gunmen proceeded to open fire on civilians and US forces.

“The threat from ISIS is extremely real … we believe it is their desire to continue those attacks,” General McKenzie said.

He added that the Pentagon was determined to continue its mission of evacuating people.

US President Joe Biden has set a deadline of August 31 for airlifting American citizens and vulnerable Afghans.

An Afghan official told the Associated Press that 60 Afghans had been killed and another 143 wounded.

US officials said there was not yet enough information to provide a total death toll.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said “all Australian personnel are safe”, but could not confirm whether any civilian Australian citizens or visa holders were killed or injured.

“We condemn utterly the terrorist attack at Kabul airport,” she said.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said he was relieved all Australian soldiers had already departed from Afghanistan.

“We took the decision to lift the last of our people yesterday and they are safely in the United Arab Emirates,” he said.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen condemned the attacks in a statement, adding the bombings “took place in an area where US forces are responsible for security”.

“[The Taliban] is paying close attention to the security and protection of its people,” Mr Shaheen said on Twitter.

A huge blast was later felt by Kabul residents, however Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said they were controlled explosions by US forces.

US will ‘go after’ Islamic State

General McKenzie said the US “retained the right” to go after ISIS in Afghanistan and would be doing so “24/7”.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the country was mourning the loss of American troops and civilians in Kabul.

“Terrorists took their lives at the very moment these troops were trying to save the lives of others,” he said in a statement.

Mr Austin echoed General McKenzie’s assertion that the US would “not be dissuaded from the task at hand”.

“To do anything less — especially now — would dishonour the purpose and sacrifice these men and women have rendered our country and the people of Afghanistan,” he said.

US forces responded with gunfire soon after the explosions.

A Pentagon statement acknowledged civilian deaths, saying “we also know that a number of Afghans fell victim to this heinous attack”.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones and teammates of all those killed and injured,” US defence spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

Attacks of this kind had been feared for several days, after the US and its allies publicly shared intelligence of a “credible, imminent” threat to fleeing Afghans and foreign forces based at the airport.

Australia’s evacuation mission suspended

A Department of Defence official earlier confirmed to the ABC that all Australian military personnel and other government officials had left the Afghan capital and were “safe”.

The Australian military’s Joint Operation Command (JOC) said it was “aware of reports of an explosion at Kabul Airport”.

“All ADF personnel supporting the Afghanistan evacuation are safe,” the JOC tweeted.

However the Australian military’s evacuation mission in Afghanistan has been suspended in the aftermath of the explosion.

The ABC has contacted DFAT for information on any Australian civilians in the region.

The UK, Germany, Italy and New Zealand reported no casualties among their armed forces.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said like Australia, the last of the country’s troops had left for the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

Ms Ardern gave her condolences to the victims of the “appalling” attack.

“We strongly condemn what is a despicable attack on many innocent families and individuals who were simply seeking safety from the incredibly difficult and fragile situation in Afghanistan,” she said.

Swift condemnation for attack

World leaders quickly condemned the attack on both US forces and civilians.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had just chaired a COBRA meeting, labelled the attack “barbaric”.

“I can confirm there has been a barbaric terrorist attack, series of attacks in Kabul, on the airport or the crowds at the airport, in which members of the US military have very sadly lost their lives and there have been many Afghan casualties,” Mr Johnson said.

A defiant Mr Johnson added the attack would not stop Britain from getting people out of Afghanistan.

“It is not going to interrupt our progress, we are going to get on with this evacuation,” Mr Johnson said after he chaired an emergency response meeting on the situation.

Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary-General of NATO, called the attack “horrific” and said: “Our priority remains to evacuate as many people to safety as quickly as possible.”

President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, condemned the “cowardly and inhuman attacks”.

“The international community must work closely together to avoid a resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan and beyond,” she said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres said the attack would only strengthen the UN’s resolve to help the people of Afghanistan, while the Taliban also condemned the attack.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says his group “strongly condemns” Thursday’s attack and is paying close attention to security.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a member of the group, told Turkish television: “As soon as the airport situation is figured out and the foreign forces leave, we will not have such attacks anymore. It is because of the presence of foreign forces that such attacks take place.”

Hassan Noor, director of Save the Children in Asia, said it was “devastating” that families trying to make their way out of the country to safety had been targeted.

ABC/WIRE