Islamic State claimed responsibility for Kabul attack-News

The organization’s Amak news agency said on its Telegram channel that the organization claimed responsibility for the attack outside the Kabul airport on Thursday.

According to US and Afghan officials, two bomb blasts outside Kabul Airport killed at least 72 people.

An Afghan official said that at least 60 Afghans were killed in the attack and another 143 were injured. US officials said 12 soldiers were also killed in the attack outside the airport.

The American general responsible for overseeing the evacuation from Afghanistan said that if the perpetrators of the Kabul airport attack can be found, the United States will “hunt down” them.

General Frank Mackenzie said that Thursday’s attack is believed to have been carried out by fighters associated with Da’esh’s Afghan branch.

He said that the attack that killed 12 American soldiers would not prevent the United States from continuing to evacuate Americans and others. Mackenzie warned that there are still “extremely active” security threats at the Afghan capital airport.

“We expect these attacks to continue,” he said, adding that the Taliban commander has been asked to take additional security measures to prevent another suicide bombing around the airport. He said he saw no sign that the Taliban allowed the attack on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin suggested that the evacuation would continue and expressed his deepest condolences to the relatives and teammates of all those killed and injured in Kabul today.

“The moment these forces tried to save the lives of others, the terrorists took their lives,” he said. “We mourn their loss. We will heal their wounds. We will support their families through the most devastating grief. But we will not be dissuaded by the task at hand.”

The statement also said: “Doing nothing-especially now-will go against the goals and sacrifices these men and women bring to our country and the people of Afghanistan.”