UK experiences ‘excessive risk’ of terrorist assault at Kabul airport; U.S. urges individuals to remain away

LONDON — Officers from the U.Okay. have warned of a “extremely credible” risk of an assault at Kabul airport by Islamic State militants.

It comes as a large evacuation effort enters its remaining levels, with international locations scrambling to get individuals out of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan forward of an Aug. 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden.

Some European international locations have already begun to halt flights from Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport.

The U.S. and different Western international locations concerned within the evacuation have urged individuals to keep away from the airport amid rising issues about attainable terrorist exercise.

The U.Okay.’s Armed Forces Minister James Heappey advised Sky Information Thursday that an “imminent, deadly assault” may very well be about to happen at Kabul airport.

“Intelligence over the course of the week has acquired ever extra sure across the extremely credible, imminent, deadly assault on the airport or the dealing with facilities being utilized by western forces,” Heappey advised Sky Information.

The U.Okay.’s International, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace, in the meantime, issued new steering to warn of “an ongoing and excessive risk of terrorist assault.” It urged individuals to not journey to the airport and transfer away to a secure location to await additional recommendation.

Late Wednesday, the U.S. embassy in Kabul urged U.S. residents in Afghanistan to keep away from touring to the capital metropolis’s airport, citing an unspecified safety risk outdoors the gates.

“Due to safety threats outdoors the gates of Kabul airport, we’re advising U.S. residents to keep away from touring to the airport and to keep away from airport gates at the moment until you obtain particular person directions from a U.S. authorities consultant to take action,” the safety alert mentioned.

“U.S. residents who’re on the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate now ought to depart instantly,” it added.

The U.S. embassy in Kabul suggested People to pay attention to their environment always, observe the directions of native authorities, have a contingency plan for emergencies and monitor native media and the State Division for developments.

The U.S. administration has not shared the entire variety of People and Afghan nationals that it’s aiming to evacuate earlier than troops depart on the finish of the month.

NATO allies and members of the president’s personal social gathering have pushed for an extension of the withdrawal deadline, expressing doubt that the coalition can evacuate all of the Afghans who’re eligible to depart in such a short while body.

Nonetheless, Biden on Tuesday reiterated to leaders of the G-7, NATO, United Nations and European Union that america will withdraw its army from Afghanistan by the top of the month.

Denmark mentioned its final flight out of the Afghan capital left on Thursday, with Protection Minister Trine Bramsen reportedly warning: “It’s not secure to fly in or out of Kabul.”

The Dutch authorities additionally expects to hold out its final evacuation flight on Thursday because of the deteriorating safety state of affairs, Reuters reported. It described the choice as a “painful second” as a result of people who find themselves eligible for evacuation to the nation will now be left behind.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex advised French radio RTL on Thursday that the nation would not have the ability to evacuate individuals from Friday night onward because of the American withdrawal.

— CNBC’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.