Afghanistan: US Air Strike Blasts Suicide Bomber Targeting Kabul Airport

A US air strike has targeted a suicide bomber who wanted to attack Kabul international airport amid the American military's evacuation, according to the Taliban.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a message to journalists that the US strike targeted the bomber as he drove a vehicle loaded with explosives.

Captain Bill Urban, US Central Command Spokesman, said in a statement the US were "confident" they "successfully hit the target" and eliminated "an imminent ISIS-K threat to Hamad Karzai International airport".

"Significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material," he said.

"We are assessing the possibilities of civilian casualties, though we have no indications at this time.

"We remain vigilant for potential future threats."

It comes after US President Joe Biden warned that another terrorist attack at Kabul Airport "is highly likely in the next 24 to 36 hours".

An attack also struck Kabul's Khuwja Bughra neighbourhood, north west of the city's international airport, killing a child, according to a local police chief.

Rashid, who goes by one name, said the rocket struck on Sunday afternoon.

The two strikes appeared to be separate incidents, but information remains scarce.

No group immediately claimed the attack.

The rocket fire came as the US winds down a historic airlift that saw tens of thousands evacuated from Kabul's international airport, the scene of much of the chaos that engulfed the Afghan capital since the Taliban took over two weeks ago.

After an affiliate of the so-called Islamic State group in Afghanistan, ISIS-K, killed more than 180 people, the Taliban increased security around the airfield as the UK ended its evacuation flights on Saturday.

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Cover image: Kabul airport with US paratroopers conducting security (Picture: US Department of Defense).