Rockets fired at Kabul airport as deadline looms for U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

The airport continuously has been a scene of chaos in the two weeks due to the fact the Taliban blitz throughout Afghanistan that took command of the country, nearly 20 years soon after the original U.S. invasion that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But since the suicide bombing, the Taliban have tightened their protection cordon all around the airfield, with their fighters observed just up to the past fencing separating them from the runway.

In the capital’s Chahr-e-Shaheed neighbourhood, a crowd swiftly collected around the stays of a four-door sedan utilized by the attackers, which experienced what appeared to be six do-it-yourself rocket tubes mounted where by the backseat need to be. The Islamic State team and other militants routinely mount this sort of tubes into autos and quietly transport them undetected close to a concentrate on.

“I was inside the home with my little ones and other spouse and children associates. Abruptly there were some blasts,” mentioned Jaiuddin Khan, who life close by. “We jumped into the home compound and lay on the ground.”

The rockets landed across city in Kabul’s Salim Karwan neighbourhood, putting household apartment blocks, witnesses mentioned. That neighbourhood is some three kilometres from the airport. There had been no speedy reports of accidents.

In Washington, the White Residence issued a assertion indicating officials briefed President Joe Biden on “the rocket assault at Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport” in Kabul, seemingly referring to the car or truck-based mostly rocket launch that morning.

“The president was informed that functions carry on uninterrupted at HKIA, and has reconfirmed his order that commanders redouble their efforts to prioritize performing regardless of what is important to guard our forces on the ground,” the assertion reported, utilizing an acronym for Kabul’s airport.

Flights proceed in spite of rockets

The U.S. armed forces did not react to requests for remark. Immediately after the rocket hearth, planes ongoing to land and taxi throughout to the northern military services side of the airport. Planes took off roughly each individual 20 minutes at just one level Monday early morning.

The airport had been a single of the number of approaches out for foreigners and Afghans fleeing the Taliban takeover. Even so, coalition nations have halted their evacuations in the latest times, leaving the U.S. armed service mainly alone at the base with some remaining allied Afghan forces furnishing safety.

The U.S. Point out Section released a assertion Sunday signed by around 100 nations, as effectively as NATO and the European Union, stating they had gained “assurances” from the Taliban that individuals with travel paperwork would nevertheless be capable to go away the region.

The Taliban have mentioned they will make it possible for typical journey immediately after the U.S. withdrawal is completed on Tuesday and they think handle of the airport. On the other hand, it continues to be unclear how the militants will operate the airport and which business carriers will start out flying into the field given the ongoing security considerations there.

Check out | Afghan refugees group Pakistan border as airport rescues wind down: 

Afghan refugees group border with Pakistan

Teams of Afghan refugees are crowding the border crossings with Pakistan, as U.S. evacuation flights are lessened. Other neighbouring nations around the world this kind of as Turkey and Iran are also getting ready for an influx of refugees crossing around land. 2:01

Whilst the Taliban has honoured a pledge not to assault Western forces so extended as they evacuate by Tuesday, the danger from the Islamic State’s neighborhood affiliate stays a risk. The group, regarded as ISIS-K after a historic title for the region, saw some of its users freed as the Taliban launched prisoners across the place for the duration of their takeover.

On Sunday, a U.S. drone strike blew up a automobile carrying Islamic Condition suicide bombers in advance of they could assault the ongoing armed forces evacuation at Kabul’s airport, American officials said. An Afghan formal stated a few little ones were being killed in the strike.

U.S. Navy Capt. Monthly bill City, a spokesman for the American military’s Central Command, acknowledged the experiences of civilian casualties.

“We would be deeply saddened by any prospective loss of harmless daily life,” he claimed in a statement.

The U.S. carried out one more drone strike elsewhere in the country on Saturday that it said killed two Islamic Point out users.

By Tuesday, the U.S. is established to conclude a massive two-week-very long airlift of much more than 114,000 Afghans and foreigners and withdraw the very last of its troops, ending America’s longest war with the Taliban again in electrical power.

However, Afghans stay fearful of the Taliban returning to the oppressive rule for which it was the moment acknowledged. There have been sporadic reviews of killings and other abuses in the sweep throughout the state.