US warns of `credible threat` at Kabul airport, urges Americans to leave vicinity

The US Embassy in Afghanistan warned of a specific threat to Kabul airport and appealed to its citizens to avoid travelling to the airport and avoid all airport gates.

New Delhi: The US Embassy in Afghanistan cited intelligence inputs warning of a specific threat to Kabul airport and appealed to its citizens to leave the airport vicinity. US citizens are being urged to avoid travelling to the airport and avoid all airport gates at this time. 

"Due to a specific, credible threat, all US citizens in the vicinity of Kabul airport (HKIA), including the South (Airport Circle) gate, the new Ministry of the Interior, and the gate near the Panjshir Petrol station on the northwest side of the airport, should leave the airport area immediately," the embassy said in a security alert.

US President Joe Biden too briefed the media on the issue, saying, "Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours." Further, he said he has instructed them to take all possible measures to protect their troops, who are securing the airport and helping bring onto the airfield Americans and others desperate to escape Taliban rule

Earlier, the British and Australian governments too issued similar warnings, with Australian officials describing "an ongoing and very high threat of terrorist attack".

The US on Saturday had launched a drone strike against an Islamic State member believed to be involved in planning attacks. The US Central Command said the strike took place in Nangahar province, east of Kabul killing two individuals.  

On August 26, a suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport killed 13 US troops and nearly 200 Afghans. The attack was claimed by IS-K and US President Joe Biden vowed to 'hunt' down the prepetrators. 

While, thousands of Afghan nationals are camped outside the perimeter of the airport in desperate attempts to escape on the last flights out after the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban.