US service staff killed in attack in Afghanistan

Boris Johnson has vowed to continue the evacuation effort in Afghanistan following a “barbaric” terrorist attack at Kabul airport which left multiple people dead including US troops in at least two explosions.

The prime minister said yesterday that the “overwhelming majority” of eligible people have already been helped to flee the Taliban by the RAF and “we are going to keep going up until the last moment” as the deadline approaches.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed two blasts occurred in a “complex attack” outside Hamid Karzai International Airport.

American officials said 11 US marines and a navy medic were killed. Mr Kirby said US personnel were also injured, and that “a number of Afghans fell victim to this heinous attack”.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said at least 13 people were killed and 15 wounded in twin suicide attacks outside the airport, which has been the centre of the effort to help people flee Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defence did not confirm or deny whether the so-called Islamic State (IS) splinter cell, Isis-K, was believed to be behind the explosions, after earlier warnings about the terror group in Afghanistan.

But an anonymous US official said the blasts were “definitely believed to be” carried out by IS.

Mr Kirby said at least one explosion took place at or near the Baron Hotel, where the UK has been processing Britons and Afghans eligible for evacuation.

He said another blast occurred a short distance away near the Abbey Gate of Kabul’s airport.

After chairing an emergency Cobra meeting, Mr Johnson said: “I can confirm that there’s been a barbaric terrorist attack, what looks like a series of attacks, in Kabul, on the airport, on the crowds at the airport, in which members of the US military, very sadly have lost their lives and many Afghan casualties as well.”

The prime minister told reporters in Downing Street that the evacuation programme would work “flat out” according to “the timetable we’ve got”.

“That’s what we’re going to do because the overwhelming majority of those who are eligible have now been extracted from Afghanistan,” he added.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his group “strongly condemns” the attack.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps issued an aviation notice further advising airlines to avoid Afghan airspace under 25,000 feet.

There’s been a barbaric terrorist attack, what looks like a series of attacks

AFTERMATH: Smoke rises near the scene of one of the terrorist explosions that is believed to have killed at least 13 people at Kabul airport.