29 Aug 2021 | 01:52 AM UTC
Afghanistan: US embassy issues statement Aug. 29 warning citizens to avoid Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul /update 1
US embassy warns citizens early Aug. 29 to avoid Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, due to specific threat.
Event
The US embassy in Kabul issued a statement early Aug. 29 urging citizens to avoid travel to Hamid Karzai International Airport (KBL) due to a "specific, credible threat". Individuals near KBL, including those near the South (Airport Circle) gate, the new Ministry of the Interior, and the gate near the Panjshir Petrol station on the northwest side of the airport, should leave the areas immediately. The statement comes after US President Joseph Biden Aug. 28 warned that a new terror attack targeting KBL was highly likely within the next 24-36 hours.
The security situation in Kabul remains extremely volatile; further suicide and rocket attacks remain possible throughout Kabul.
Context
The warning of further attacks comes amid the US government's last efforts to evacuate American citizens and at-risk Afghans from Afghanistan. On Aug. 25, the US and UK embassies issued separate statements warning citizens of their respective countries to avoid travel to KBL, citing unspecified security threats. The communique from the UK government specifically cited a "high threat of terrorist attack." Following the warning, the Islamic State branch in Afghanistan - known as Islamic State-Khorasan Province or simply IS-K - claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing attack that killed 13 US service members and at least 90 Afghan civilians. The US military conducted a retaliatory strike against an alleged IS militant hideout in Nangarhar Province early Aug. 28.
Advice
Avoid large crowds. Defer all nonessential travel to Afghanistan until evacuations end and the security situation stabilizes. Foreign nationals should strongly consider exiting the country. Maintain close contact with diplomatic representations. Check the status of routes and airport before departure. Maintain a low public profile and dress conservatively.
