The last phase of evacuation is underway in Kabul. Taliban set to take control of Kabul airport.
Tension prevails as Kabul enters a new phase. Several rockets were fired at Kabul’s airport, witnesses and security sources said. This comes less than 48 hrs. Before the US is due to complete its troop withdrawal. Some news said that smoke was seen rising above buildings in the area. The rockets were reportedly intercepted by missile defense system, a US official said.
Another attack averted:
A US drone targeted a vehicle carrying “multiple suicide bombers” of ISIS-K on August 29 in Kabul. The officials said that these ISIS-K bombers intended to target the Kabul airport again. The US said that the explosions from the vehicle indicated the “presence of a substantial amount of explosive material”. This comes days after blasts by ISIS-K suicide bombers at the Kabul airport killed more than 180 people. US president Joe Biden met the families of 13 US personnel killed in the Kabul airport attack on August 26.
A rocket had also hit a congested residential area near Kabul airport on 29 August. Reporters said that two people died in the blast including a child. August 31 is the deadline for the foreign forces to wrap up evacuations and exit Afghanistan. France ended its evacuation efforts in Afghanistan on August 27 while Britain ended it on Aug 28. The Taliban has assured that it will allow foreigners and Afghans with proper documents to leave the country even after the deadline. Taliban gave on official statement on August 29 to assure 100 countries including the US, Britain, France and Germany. The 100-country group said that it will continue to issue travel documents to “designated Afghans”. Meanwhile, France and Britain plan to call on the UN to create a “safe zone” in Kabul to enable humanitarian programs to operate.