An explosion occurred Thursday (August 26th) near Kabul airport, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. “We can confirm that the explosion near the Abbey Gate of Kabul airport caused an unknown number of victims”, he added, without further clarification for the moment. Abbey Gate is one of the three access points to the airport, where thousands of Afghans anxious to leave the country have thronged for twelve days.
“To all our Afghan friends: if you are near the airport gates, get away urgently and take cover. A second explosion is possible ”, also tweeted the French Ambassador to Afghanistan, David Martinon. “No French soldier, policeman or diplomat had been hired today at Abbey Gate”, he added.
Alerts on an imminent threat
Several Western countries had called, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, their nationals to move away as quickly as possible from Kabul airport because of threats “ terrorists “, among which United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. The people “Currently at the Abbey, East and North entrances should leave immediately”, said the US State Department, citing “Security threats”.
Australian diplomacy spoke of a “Very high threat of terrorist attack”. And London called on its nationals near the airport to leave it “For a safe place”, pending further instructions, or those who can leave Afghanistan by other means, to do so ” at once “.
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