USA / 4,200 people evacuated from Kabul in past 12 hours: White House

Zoom News : Aug 28, 2021, 02:38 PM
Washington: At least 4,200 people were evacuated from Kabul in a 12-hour period on Friday (local time), according to the latest figures from the White House.

Since August 14, the US has helped evacuate approximately 109,200 people from Afghanistan, the White House added in a statement.

Meanwhile, Pentagon has said that approximately 5,400 individuals are at the airport awaiting flights out of Afghanistan.

"There are still approx 5,400 individuals at the airport awaiting flights out of Afghanistan. We have the ability to include evacuees on the US military airlift out of Afghanistan... ISIS will not deter us from accomplishing this mission," said US Army Major General William "Hank" Taylor during a briefing.

Thursday's bombing, which killed 13 US service members and at least 100 Afghans, took place "right at" the Abbey gate at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

Defense officials initially said a second bombing had taken place outside the Baron Hotel, which is adjacent to the airfield and a key site in the effort to evacuate US and British citizens.

Major General Taylor clarified that there was only one explosion at the Abbey gate at Hamid Karzai International airport on Thursday. Earlier, the Pentagon had said there was a second explosion outside the Baron hotel in its initial statements.

The death toll from yesterday's blast in Kabul has surged to more than 90 people killed, CNN reported. The report said that more than 150 people were wounded by the blast.

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