BREAKING: Huge Explosion Outside Kabul Airport, Pentagon Confirms
Officials confirm incident at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan
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Pentagon officials have confirmed there has just been a huge explosion outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.
According to CNN, officials reportedly said there are reports of wounded Afghans.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said casualties are “unclear at this time.”
The explosion occurred outside the Abbey gate at the airport and early witness reports suggest the incident is a terrorist suicide bombing attack.
We can confirm an explosion outside Kabul airport. Casualties are unclear at this time. We will provide additional details when we can.
— John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) August 26, 2021
Kirby said the Pentagon "will provide additional details when we can."
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Witnesses said the explosion was triggered by a suicide bomber.
Fox News reported at least three U.S. service members were wounded in the attack.
Another witness reportedly told Fox News they saw at least one infant killed in the attack, and that Americans were injured, although that has yet to be confirmed.
In addition to the explosion, there were reports of gunfire in the area surrounding the airport.
A heavily injured person outside #Kabul airport. #Tragedy pic.twitter.com/UGN6beoT2Z
— Barzan Sadiq (@BarzanSadiq) August 26, 2021
First photo showing chaos after the recent blast at #Kabul airport. pic.twitter.com/UAEQQLMW8L
— Barzan Sadiq (@BarzanSadiq) August 26, 2021
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul sent a security alert Thursday morning warning Americans to evacuate the Kabul airport due to an ongoing security threat, specifically naming the Abbey gate as a point of concern.
Reports later emerged that officials were concerned about a possible threat from an ISIS affiliate.
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Several reports described the attack as a “large” explosion.
Please don’t go to Kabul airport now,
— Ali Hassani (@Ali2994078) August 26, 2021
Heavy explosion in front of Abby Camp, shooting has started, USA troops used 6-8 gas bomb on people on east gate and lots of women got injured and burned,
I was there pic.twitter.com/hGEFlLP08b
The U.S. has five days remaining to evacuate American citizens from Afghanistan before the end of its Aug. 31 deadline.
It is unclear how the airport attack will affect evacuation efforts or if major damage has been done to the airport.
More to follow on this breaking news story...
