`We can confirm that there was an explosion outside Kabul airport. There are currently no known casualties. We will provide more detailed information when possible,` Pentagon spokesman John Kirby announced today.
A Taliban spokesman said the explosion left at least 13 people dead, including children, and 15 injured.
Three American soldiers and a Taliban guard were also injured.
Continuous explosions outside Kabul airport, at least 13 people died
Big explosion at Kabul airport, capital of Afghanistan tonight.
The explosion occurred at one of the airport gates and appeared to be a suicide attack, according to three US officials.
Fox News later confirmed a second explosion targeted the Baron hotel near the airport.
All of the airport’s evacuation processing gates are now closed and sources described it as a `combined attack`.
People rushed to carry injured people away from the scene of the explosion near Kabul airport.
The Pentagon confirmed casualties among military personnel and civilians.
The US Embassy in Afghanistan issued a new warning asking `US citizens to avoid going to the airport and avoiding airport gates at this time`.
Location of the explosion (circled in red) at Kabul airport today.
Thousands of people have gathered outside the airport in recent days, as US, allied and Afghan citizens tried to board evacuation flights to leave Afghanistan, ahead of the US military’s August 31 withdrawal deadline.
President Biden and lawmakers warned that the number of people gathering around the airport makes it an attractive target for terrorist groups.
Western countries this morning warned their citizens to immediately leave the area around the airport due to the threat of terrorism.
British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey also warned that a terrorist threat against the airport was `imminent`.
Hannah