The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant \u2013 Khorasan Province (an IS offshoot) had claimed responsibility for the Kabul airport blasts that killed over 100 Afghans.<\/p>\n
US military forces launched an airstrike in Nangahar Province of Afghanistan against ISIS-K and \u201ckilled the target\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangahar Province of Afghanistan. Initial indications are that we killed the target,\u201d said Captain Bill Urban of the Central Command. \u201cWe know of no civilian casualties,\u201d he added in a statement. Next week, on September 1, Hamid Karzai International Airport will be under the control of the hardline Islamists, who already on Friday claimed to have moved into certain areas of the military side of the facility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are departing by August 31. Upon that date, we are delivering \u2014 we\u2019re essentially giving the airport back to the Afghan people,\u201d State Department spokesman Ned Price said Friday, cutting off speculation about the possibility of it falling into international hands.<\/p>\n
The attack happened after threats of an imminent threat and, as crowds gathered outside the airport Saturday, the United States issued a fresh alert for US citizens to leave the areas around the main gates \u201cimmediately\u201d.<\/p>\n
The warning came just hours after the Pentagon said the evacuation operation continued to face \u201cspecific, credible\u201d threats. \u201cWe certainly are prepared and would expect future attempts, absolutely,\u201d Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters.<\/p>\n
The Pentagon clarified that there was one explosion Thursday, not two as previously believed. At the White House, President Joe Biden\u2019s press secretary Jen Psaki said US national security experts consider another attack is \u201clikely\u201d and the next few days will be \u201cthe most dangerous period to date\u201d.<\/p>\n
Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi said on Twitter that fighters had moved into parts of the military side of Kabul airport, but the Pentagon pushed back, with Kirby saying gates and operations were still being run by the US military.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n