Well over 60 people have been killed, along with at least 13 US soldiers, in two terrorist attacks at Kabul airport. The attacks targeted thousands of individuals who have been waiting days to enter the airport and get safe passage out of Afghanistan.
Initial reports suggest that two suicide bombs went off and that guns were also used to target anyone within the vicinity.
Tens of thousands of people have been waiting days and weeks for flights out of the country to escape the Taliban regime who have seized power after a 20-year war against the US and NATO.
Many of those queuing up, previously helped the US and NATO forces or were connected to the former Afghan government and army, and fear that they will be killed in revenge by the Taliban regime.
The Taliban have condemned the attack, which is believed to have been carried out by ISIS-K, a spin-off of the Islamic State and enemy of the Taliban.
The UK, US and other Western nations have five more days to carry out all evacuations, though this may now be cut short.
Senior British politicians warned of an imminent attack on Kabul airport just hours before the attack took place.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters:
"It is not going to interrupt our progress, we are going to get on with this evacuation. There were always going to vulnerabilities to terrorism and opportunistic terrorist attacks, we condemn them, I think they are despicable, but I am afraid they are something we had to prepare for."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel added:
"We know that the window of opportunity is closing. Tens of thousands of people have been rescued but I want to say again today: we will not forget those people who could not be rescued by the air bridge. Rather we will do everything we can to enable their evacuation."
Reporters on the ground have suggested that the Taliban are blocking people from making their way to the airport and some foreign governments have suggested those wishing to flee the country head to Afghanistan's borders instead of heading to the airport.
Despite the attack, thousands remain at the airport wishing to get on board flights.
[h/t: Daily Mail]
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