US warns of 'specific, credible threat' near Kabul airport, asks citizens to leave area

The United States on Sunday issued a warning for US citizens stranded in Afghanistan, asking them to leave the Kabul airport area immediately. In a statement, the US Embassy noted due to 'specific and credible threat', US citizens in the vicinity of Kabul airport, including South (Airport Circle), new Ministry of the Interior and gate near Panjshir Petrol station should evacuate the premises immediately. 

"Due to a specific, credible threat, all US citizens in the vicinity of Kabul airport, including South (Airport Circle), new Ministry of the Interior & gate near Panjshir Petrol station should leave the airport area immediately" the US Embassy in Kabul said in a security alert.

This is the second warning issued by the US in the aftermath of the Kabul airport attacks and the subsequent retaliation against ISIS-K. As per sources, the US troops in the region have been alerted of more possible attacks. On Saturday, the US embassy issued an advisory informing that people at the Abbey, East, North and Ministry of Interior gates of the Hamid Karzai International Airport should leave the area immediately.

“Because of security threats at the Kabul airport, we continue to advise US citizens to avoid travelling to the airport and to avoid airport gates. US citizens who are at the Abbey gate, East gate, North gate or the New Ministry of Interior gate now should leave immediately,” the US embassy in Kabul said in a statement on its website. 

Kabul Airport attack & US retalitoon 

The warnings come after the United States military struck back against the ISIS-K in the aftermath of the devastating twin blasts at the Kabul Airport. The drone strike comes in response to the death of 169 Afghans and 13 US servicemen who were involved in the evacuation operations at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. The US has claimed to have eliminated the ISIS-K 'mastermind' who was involved in planning the attacks against the US in Kabul in the strike.

According to reports, US President Joe Biden has vowed to keep up airstrikes against the Islamic extremist group. Winding down its evacuation, the Pentagon has said the remaining contingent of US forces at the airport, now numbering fewer than 4,000, had begun their final withdrawal ahead of Joe Biden's August 31 deadline.

(With Agency Inputs)