Kabul airport attack: Death toll rises to 79 including 13 US service members and British nationals
US President Joe Biden takes a moment during questioning following remarks regarding the 12 U.S. service members killed in a terrorist attack outside Kabul airport in the East Room at the White House on August 26, 2021.
A senior US military official said the US does not believe there was a second explosion in the Kabul attack, as previously confirmed.
During a Pentagon briefing on Friday, US army general William Taylor said they do not believe that there was a second explosion at or near the Baron hotel.
“We’re not sure how that report was provided incorrectly, but we do know it’s not any surprise that in the confusion of very dynamic events like this it can cause information sometimes to be misreported or garbled.
“We felt it was important to correct the record," he said.
At least 79 people were killed, including children, and 143 others wounded in the attack outside Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport on Thursday.
13 US service members are among those who lost their lives in the attack. Two British nationals and the child of a British national were also among those killed in the Kabul airport attack, the UK's foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said on Friday.
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks on the group’s Telegram account.
In his first public address following the attack, US President Joe Biden said it had been a "tough day."
"Jill and I, our hearts ache.. for all those Afghan families who were wounded in this vicious attack."
"We are outraged as well as heartbroken.
The President said the ISIS terrorists "will not win" and said he has instructed the Pentagon to develop plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership and facilities
He also said the US have "reason to believe" they know the people involved in the attacks.
The US President said they will continue to "get Americans, our partners, our Afghan allies" out of Afghanistan.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the attack as "despicable" and "barbaric" and confirmed there had been casualties among US forces.
He would not comment on who he believes is responsible for the attack but said it was unlikely to be the Taliban.
He said the UK had been "prepared for" terror attacks on Kabul airport, but added that the UK's evacuation operation should now be "as fast and efficient as possible."
Speaking at a press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron just moments after the attack, Taoiseach Michéal Martin said Ireland will respond in “a humanitarian and generous way” to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.
“Our emergency consular aid team, they had begun the process of returning to Ireland and have assisted our citizens to come back, that’s in train.
“But we realise that this is a much larger challenge.
“We will work within the European Union context, in partnership, to support a European-wide approach to supporting those who are most at risk within Afghanistan.”
President Macron said the coming hours will remain "extremely dangerous in Kabul and around the airport.”
“Nobody expected such a rapid and brutal situation in Kabul," he said, and added that nations are being put in a position "where we cannot protect all the Afghan people we wanted to protect."
“Now it is our responsibility to build additional solutions to protect them during the coming weeks and months," he said.
I strongly condemn the cowardly and inhuman attacks on Kabul airport. It is essential to do everything to ensure the safety of people at the airport.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 26, 2021
The international community must work closely together to avoid a resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan and beyond.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen condemned the "cowardly and inhuman."
"The international community must work closely together to avoid a resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan and beyond," she said.
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