ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack after several countries warned yesterday of “very credible reports” the group was targeting the airport. Countries, including the U.S., continue to press ahead with the final phase of evacuations before Tuesday’s withdrawal deadline.
The Pentagon said there are “specific and credible” threats for future terror attacks in Kabul.
During a press briefing Friday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the U.S. “expects future attempts.”
The State Department confirmed that it is communicating directly with about 500 American citizens in Afghanistan who want to leave the country.
Despite the August 31 withdrawal deadline approaching, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said “there is no expiration date for” the U.S. commitment to American citizens."
The U.S. is still coordinating with the Taliban to ensure safe evacuations out of Afghanistan but is still considering its future diplomatic presence in Kabul. Price told reporters Friday that this will depend on the Taliban’s ability to uphold its commitments to maintain security on the ground.
The live updates for this blog have ended.
KEY MOMENTS
Over 5,000 American citizens evacuated from Afghanistan 11 Marines killed in Kabul attack State Dept. says it’s “not up to us” what happens to the Kabul airport after August 31 Homeland Security will lead relocation efforts for Afghans in the U. S.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said it’s “not up to us to decide” who controls the airport after U.S. forces leave.
“It is not up to us what the airport looks like after August 31,” he said.
Price added that the U.S. is facilitating discussions about the future management of Kabul airport with the Taliban, countries in the region, as well as air traffic experts who have just completed a technical assessment on what it would take to keep it running smoothly.
“There is no expiration date for” the U.S. commitment to American citizens, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
He added that the Taliban has also “not put an expiration date on” its promise to facilitate the safe passage of Americans to the Kabul airport and out of Afghanistan.
The U.S. is maintaining communication with the Taliban on evacuation efforts but is “watching closely” that the group upholds its commitments.
Price also noted that the U.S. is not sharing sensitive information about vulnerable Afghans with the Taliban.
“The idea that we are providing names or personally identifiable information to the Taliban in a way that exposes anyone to additional risk, that is simply wrong, simply wrong,” Price said.
“We are unaware that any Americans were, that any either private or Americans under chief of mission authority were killed or injured or harmed in the attacks,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.
The U.S. has not yet made a decision on a future diplomatic presence, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, but “we are actively discussing.”
State Department Press spokesperson Ned Price said the U.S. is currently working with those citizens directly to facilitate their evacuation.
The majority of the locally employed staff of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and their families have been evacuated or are ready to depart at the Kabul airport, Price added.
“We can confirm, at this time, 11 Marines were killed in the line of duty at Hamid Karzai International Airport. This is an update to the information we provided yesterday,” Maj. Jim Stenger, Marine Corps spokesperson, told CNN.
A total of 11 Marines, one U.S. Navy service member and one U.S. Army soldier were killed in Thursday’s attack.
“Already, DHS has been working closely with agencies across government, including our military, diplomats, intelligence community and law enforcement professionals, and many others to ensure that all Afghans are screened and vetted prior to being allowed into the United States,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Friday.
During a press briefing Friday, Psaki said that the U.S. national security team is taking “maximum force protection measures” at the Kabul airport.
She said the next few days will be “the most dangerous part of the mission.”
“This is the retrograde period of the mission. And what that means is that this is the period of time when the military, commanders on the ground and forces begin to move not just troops home, but also equipment home,” she said.
Psaki added that “the threat is ongoing, it is active, our troops are still in danger.”
While Psaki said that the U.S. doesn’t trust the Taliban, officials will continue to work with the Taliban to coordinate evacuation efforts.
“I was deeply saddened to learn that two British nationals and the child of another British national were killed by yesterday’s terror attack, with two more injured,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.
“These were innocent people and it is a tragedy that as they sought to bring their loved ones to safety in the U.K. they were murdered by cowardly terrorists.”
Raab added that the U.K. “will not turn our backs on those who look to us in their hour of need, and we will never be cowed by terrorists.”
There are more than 200 people wounded.
“My heart goes out to the families and friends of the victims of the terrible, cowardly attacks in Kabul,” Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth said in a statement. “I join all of my fellow DoD leaders in honoring our Service Members’ sacrifice–they gave all for others.”
“Our Army mourns the loss of our Soldier and we are here to support his family and friends. His fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, & Airmen continue their brave mission,” she added.
“We have increased the number of beds from 100 to 115 in order to handle this emergency,” Alberto Zanin, Medical Coordinator in Kabul, said. “At the moment, there are four free beds.”
On the hospital’s Twitter account, Zanin said that the injured victims include women and children, “some very young.” He said the injuries were caused by shrapnel fragments or shock waves and burns.
“The look on the faces of the people brought to the hospital was blank, as if they had seen the ugliest thing in the world. They were filled with the deepest terror,” Zanin said.
The hospital provides free intensive care in Kabul.
“We’re going to need it to continue to function right up until the very end,” he said.
READ MORE: “Live Updates: Pentagon Holds News Briefing Day After Deadly Kabul Attack”
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the department will “become more judicious” about the details it will release on the number of troops in Afghanistan as a matter of “operational security.”
Kirby said there are currently more than 5,000 U.S. troops at the Kabul airport.
“As we get closer, and we are getting closer, you’re going see us begin to make those muscle movements to pull out our troops and some of our equipment, as appropriate with any retrograde,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said.
Kirby added that the U.S. is working to strike a balance between pulling out troops and equipment while continuing evacuation efforts.
“Lives are still the priority,” Kirby said.
“I think you’ll see us adjust as necessary to make sure that we’re achieving that proper balance. But we’ll be able to fly out evacuees right up until the last moment. That’s gonna be the goal,” he said.
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said there are “specific and credible threats” of future terrorist attacks.
He added that the U.S. is “prepared and expects future attempts,” but could not share specific details.
“The threat from ISIS is real,” Kirby added.
The military will use three more bases to host refugees: Marine Corps Base Quantico and Fort Pickett in Virginia and Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
This includes more than 300 American citizens, bringing the total number of Americans airlifted out of Afghanistan to about 5,100, General Hank Taylor said during a press briefing.
About 5,400 people are currently waiting to depart at the Kabul airport, Taylor said.
There was one bomber at the Abbey Gate, Major General Hank Taylor said during a press briefing Friday. There was not a second bomb near the Baron Hotel, as originally reported.
He added that “the confusion of a dynamic event like this” can “cause information to be misreported.”
“The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured,” the council said in a press statement Friday morning.
The council denounced terrorism in all its forms, calling it “one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” and called on all parties to respect and facilitate the safe evacuations of civilians.
“We mourn the loss of this Sailor and we offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of our fallen shipmate. The name of the Sailor will be released following 24 hours after notification of next of kin,” the Navy said in a statement.
“China is shocked by the heavy casualties caused by the explosions near Kabul Airport, and China strongly condemns it,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters Friday.
“The incident shows that the security situation in Afghanistan remains complex and severe,” Lijian added. “We hope relevant parties will take effective measures to ensure a smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan.”
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Germany is in direct contact with the remaining Germans on ways to support an “organized departure” from Afghanistan.
He added that officials are communicating with the Taliban and others about the possible future civilian use of Kabul Airport to facilitate the departure of endangered Afghans.
The German military flew 5,347 people out of Kabul, including 500 Germans and more than 4,000 Afghans, before ending its operations.
“In the next hours, with the conclusion of the airlift and evacuation of people, we conclude the first phase of emergency,” Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said.
Di Maio said “all Italians who wanted to return to Italy have returned,” along with about 4,900 Afghan citizens.
Italy is already working on the “second phase” of operations to “help the Afghan people,” Di Maio said.
This plan focuses on protecting civilians, safeguarding human rights, guaranteeing humanitarian aid, fighting terrorism and “efficient management of the migration.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also said Spain will close out its evacuation operations in Kabul Friday.
Over the past 10 days, Spain evacuated a total of 2,206 people, including 1,671 Spaniards or Afghan nationals linked to Spain’s work in Afghanistan; 333 who worked for the EU and their relatives; 131 with the United States; 50 linked to NATO’s operations and 21 on behalf of Portugal.
Sánchez thanked aid workers and military personnel who “took out the highest quantity of men, women and children in the shortest time possible.”
“You make us proud,” Sánchez said at a press conference on Friday. “Mission accomplished.”
Times (London) reporter Anthony Loyd said he found the papers scattered on the ground as he toured Kabul’s abandoned diplomatic district earlier this week.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said “clearly it’s not good enough” that the documents were left unsecured. “We’ll find out and get to the bottom of it,” Wallace told radio station LBC.
“We condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms. Of course, this is very sad news about a large number of casualties,” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with journalists.
The “pessimistic predictions” about the threat of attacks from ISIS were “unfortunately” realized, Peskov added.
“Unfortunately, pessimistic predictions are confirmed that terrorist groups, both ISIS and their derivatives, will not fail to take advantage of the chaos in Afghanistan. The danger to all is great. And this continues to be a cause for our grave concern,” he said moments ago.
A statement said two military planes carrying the last 81 Spaniards remaining in Afghanistan - “including military personnel and embassy personnel” - arrived in Dubai from Kabul early on Friday morning local time.
The planes also carried four Portuguese soldiers and 85 Afghans and their families who had worked with NATO countries. It added that the Spanish Armed Forces has “evacuated a total of 1,900, Afghans and their families,” who had worked with Spain, other countries, and international bodies.
Both Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison strongly condemned the attacks that took place Thursday. Morrison described them as “evil” and “inhuman”.
“Your outstanding commitment makes us proud,” she said.
Thousands of people eligible for an airlift are still waiting as Tuesday’s deadline looms.
The official said the actual death toll is higher because others were involved in evacuating bodies.
Afghan and U.S. officials earlier said the bombings killed at least 60 civilians and 13 U.S. troops - the deadliest day for U.S. forces in Afghanistan since August 2011.
Follow Newsweek’s liveblog throughout Friday for the latest on the attacks and the final phase of evacuation flights.
