WASHINGTON: The US Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby on Thursday said there had been an explosion outside the Kabul airport, adding it was unclear if there were casualties.
Kirby said his office would provide additional details when they are available.
US and allied officials have said they had intelligence that suicide bombers were threatening to attack the airport.
The explosion came as thousands were in the proximity of the airport seeking to flee Afghanistan, with Western countries ramping up evacuation efforts as the pull out deadline — August 31 — approaches.
US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the explosion, according to a White House official. Biden was in a meeting with security officials about the situation in Afghanistan, where the United States is in the final steps of ending its 20-year war, when the explosion was first reported, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The US has been racing to airlift its citizens and some Afghan citizens from Kabul before its military is set to fully withdraw from Afghanistan on August 31.
The United States and coalition partners have evacuated about 95,700 people since August 14, the day before the Taliban entered Kabul, the White House said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Britain’s defence ministry said it was working urgently to establish what had happened at Kabul airport following reports of the explosion.
“We are working urgently to establish what has happened in Kabul and its impact on the ongoing evacuation effort,” the defence ministry said on Twitter.
“Our primary concern remains the safety of our personnel, British citizens and the citizens of Afghanistan. We are in close contact with our US and other NATO allies at an operational level on the immediate response to this incident.”
