‘IMMEDIATELY’: US asks nationals to leave the Kabul Airport gates

Kabul: On Saturday, two days after the deadly suicide attack at the Kabul Airport, the United States (US) claimed that Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K), the group which carried out the attack, was killed by a drone strike in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province. According to a top US official, one individual was killed in the unmanned strike, adding that no civilians were injured.

‘US military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation today against an ISIS-K planner in Afghanistan’s Nangahar province, according to Captain Bill Urban, spokesperson for US Central Command. Initial indications are that the target was killed,’ he told news agency PTI. Drone strikes come a day after President Joe Biden promised to ‘hunt down’ the terrorists who carried out the suicide bombings at the Kabul Airport that killed 182 people, including 13 American soldiers.

U.S. military drones have engaged ISIS-K in a drone strike, however, its citizens have been asked to leave the Kabul Airport ‘immediately’ due to the security threats there. It did not provide details on what the security threats might be at the Kabul Airport, however. ‘US citizens at the Abbey gate, East gate, North gate, or New Ministry of Interior gate should leave immediately. U.S. citizens should avoid the Kabul airport and airport gate due to security threats’, the US Embassy in Kabul said.

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Taliban must act, not just talk

According to the US, it expects the Taliban’s diplomatic recognition to be based on ‘actions rather than words’. This came after the group said that it wanted an American diplomatic presence in Afghanistan. Despite this, the US has said that it is still undecided on the issue, but ‘it is something we are actively discussing, both with our partners and here at home’.

According to PTI, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, ‘We are not prepared to answer them today, precisely because we have heard a range of statements from the Taliban. Some have been positive, some constructive, but ultimately what is most important is results, not words,’ Price told PTI.