Afghanistan crisis: Multiple fatalities after explosions rock Kabul airport area

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Suspected suicide bombers struck the crowded gates of Kabul airport with at least two explosions on Thursday, causing a number of casualties among civilians hoping to flee and casting the final days of the Western airlift into chaos.

A Taliban official said at least 13 people, including an unknown number of children, had been killed. A surgical hospital run by an Italian charity said it was treating more than 60 wounded. The Pentagon said U.S. personnel were among those hurt.

In a statement, the Pentagon confirmed the blasts killed some members of the U.S. military.

The explosion took place amid crowds outside the airport, where desperate Afghans have been massing in hope of escaping in an airlift which the United States says will end by Tuesday following the swift capture of the country by the Taliban.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blasts, but Washington and its allies had been urging civilians to stay away from the airport on Thursday because of a threat of a suicide attack by Islamic State militants, enemies of both the West and the Taliban.

Western countries have evacuated nearly 100,000 people, mostly Afghans who helped them, in the past 12 days. But they acknowledge that thousands more will be left behind following President Joe Biden's order to pull out all troops by Aug 31.

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