New Delhi: After the retaliatory airstrikes by the US military on ISIS-K in Kabul, the Biden government warned its citizens on Saturday of a "specific, credible threat" near Kabul airport. The US government urged the citizens to leave the area considering the deadly attack on crowds fleeing Taliban rule in Afghanistan on Thursday, reports AFP.
"Due to a specific, credible threat, all US citizens in the vicinity of Kabul airport... should leave the airport area immediately," the US Embassy in Kabul said in a security alert.
The Pentagon said Saturday retaliation drone strikes had killed two "high-level" IS jihadists in eastern Afghanistan, but Biden warned of more attacks from the group.
"The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high," Biden said.
"Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours", reports AFP.
In its alert, the embassy noted the threat to "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."
A day after explosions by ISIS-K at Kabul airport killed 13 U.S. troops and scores of Afghan civilians, the United States launched a drone strike against the Islamic State attack planner in eastern Afghanistan on Friday and claimed to have 'killed the target'.
President Joe Biden had vowed on Thursday that the United States would hunt down those responsible for the Kabul airport attack.
Although the exact death toll is unclear given the extent of the suicide bombing attack, the AFP news agency quoted former health officials and reported that the toll had risen to 78, including 13 US troops, when a suicide attacker exploded a bomb in the dense crowd in front of the airport's Abbey Gate. Some media reported that fatalities numbered close to 200.