Joe Biden vows to hunt down terrorists behind Kabul airport attack

Washington: US President Joe Biden has vowed to hunt down and punish the terrorist leaders behind the explosions that killed at least 60 Afghan civilians and 13 US soldiers outside the international airport in Kabul.

After the deadliest day for the US in Afghanistan in a decade, America’s top military leaders warned that they were bracing for more terrorist attacks in coming days.

The suicide bombings, which terrorist group ISIS-K claimed responsibility for, came just days before the scheduled withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan next Tuesday.

US President Joe Biden vowed to hunt down the perpetrators of the attack.Credit: Bloomberg

Speaking at the White House after the attacks, Biden said: “To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: we will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.”

Biden said he and all Americans were “outraged and heartbroken” by the deaths of the American soldiers. The attacks made for the deadliest day for the US military in Afghanistan since 2011.

Biden said the deceased troops were heroes who had died while participating in a “dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others”.

“My heart aches for you,” he said to the families of the officers who died.

General Kenneth McKenzie, who leads the US Central Command, said 15 American troops were also injured in the bombings. Kabul health officials were quoted as saying 60 civilians had died in the blast.

A Taliban official later said at least 28 of the 60 Afghans killed were Taliban members, Reuters reported.

McKenzie said he expected ISIS-K to attempt more attacks in coming days, including possible rocket attacks and car bombings around the airport.

He said the US would continue to evacuate as many Americans, foreign nationals and Afghan allies as possible before the end of the month.

McKenzie said the US military would go after the perpetrators of the attacks and punish them if they can be found.

The IS affiliate in Afghanistan, known as ISIS-K, is far more radical than the Taliban, who recently took control of the country in a lightning blitz and condemned the attack.

The Australian evacuation mission has been suspended, government sources confirmed.

It is unclear whether rescue flights will resume before the August 31 deadline the Taliban set to end evacuations.

People try to help a wounded man near the site of one of the bombings outside Kabul airport.Credit: AP

In a tweet following the explosions, the Australian Joint Operations Command said that all Australian personnel supporting the Afghanistan evacuation were safe.

A surgical hospital run by an Italian charity said it was treating more than 60 wounded.

One explosion occurred at the Abbey Gate, a main entryway to the international airport. A second explosion occurred nearby outside the Baron Hotel, which the British government has been using as a makeshift embassy.

“We can confirm that the explosion at the Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties,” Defence spokesman John Kirby said on Twitter.

“We can also confirm at least one other explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate. We will continue to update.”

One of the bombers struck people standing knee-deep in a wastewater canal, throwing bodies into the fetid water. Those who moments earlier had hoped to get on flights out of Kabul could be seen carrying the wounded to ambulances in a daze, their clothes darkened with blood.

The US embassy in Kabul warned citizens outside the airport to “leave immediately” following the attack.

“There has been a large explosion at the airport, and there are reports of gunfire,” the embassy said in a security alert at the start of the chaos.

Smoke rises from an explosion outside Kabul airport on Thursday.Credit: AP

The bombings forced the White House to tear up Biden’s schedule for the day, including a planned Oval Office meeting with new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

Biden instead spent much of the day in the Situation Room with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and top military commanders.

Earlier on Thursday (AEST), the US and its allies had urged their citizens to stay away from the airport because of the growing risk of terrorism.

The Australian government warned of a “very high threat of a terrorist attack” at the airport while the UK Armed Forces Minister said that an “imminent, lethal attack” could happen within hours.

Expects more attacks: General Kenneth McKenzie.Credit: AP

Biden said earlier this week that he planned to stick to the August 31 withdrawal deadline, citing the increasing risk to US troops the longer they stayed in the country.

A spokesperson for the British government said: “We are working urgently to establish what has happened and the impact on the ongoing evacuation effort.”

With agencies

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