4 years ago

Latest on death toll

At least 12 U.S. service members — 11 Marines, a Navy medic — were killed in the Kabul attacks, a U.S. official confirms to the NewsHour.

4 years ago

Rep. Schiff issues statement on Kabul attack

In a statement Thursday, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said that it’s too early to draw conclusions on who was responsible for Thursday’s attack in Kabul, but suggested that the extremist group ISIS-K had “a clear motivation” to disrupt American evacuation efforts out of the country.

“Our immediate task remains to assure the safe withdrawal of American civilians, diplomatic personnel, and U.S. servicemembers and the evacuation of the Afghan partners who have served and sacrificed alongside us, as well other individuals at imminent risk,” Schiff, who is the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, added.

ISIS-K, an affiliate of the Islamic State group, uses the “K” to reference an old name for Afghanistan: Khorasan. ISIS-K first appeared in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014.

4 years ago

GOP leader Kevin McCarthy calls on House to reconvene

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy is calling on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to reconvene the U.S. House before Aug. 31 to brief lawmakers on the latest information out of Afghanistan. McCarthy also said he’d support legislation that would prevent the U.S. from fully withdrawing until all Americans have been evacuated from the country.

4 years ago

UK’s Boris Johnson calls Kabul attack ‘barbaric’

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered condolences to the U.S. and Afghanistan after Thursday’s “barbaric” bomb attack outside the Kabul airport. He said the United Kingdom’s evacuation operation in Afghanistan will continue, though it is “now coming towards the end.”

4 years ago

Evacuations continue

Evacuation flights are continuing following bomb attacks outside the Kabul airport, a U.S. military official tells the NewsHour.

4 years ago

‘A number’ of U.S. service members and Afghans among those killed, U.S. official says

Explosions outside Kabul airport claim casualties

A view of a hospital as unspecified number of casualties reported after two explosions outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 26, 2021. Photo by Sayed Khodaiberdi Sadat/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

“A number” of U.S. service members and Afghans were killed in Thursday’s attack at the Kabul airport, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby confirmed in a statement.

4 years ago

Taliban spokesperson condemns attacks

A Taliban spokesperson condemned the explosions to the NewsHour, saying that the Taliban will take “every step to bring the culprits to justice.”

4 years ago

Attacks threaten evacuation

The attacks occurred in the waning days of a massive airlift out of Afghanistan, ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden’s deadline for troop withdrawal. In the past week, people have amassed at the airport, seeking to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban’s swift takeover of the country.