"We Were Standing Exactly Same Place": 160 Afghan Sikhs, Hindus Narrowly Escape Suicide Bombings At Kabul Airport

Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that 145 Afghan Sikhs and 15 Hindus, who were evacuated on Wednesday, escaped suicide bombings as they were standing at the place where the attack took place on Thursday.

Afghan Sikhs and Hindus who were evacuated on Wednesday narrowly escape blast at Kabul Airport

New Delhi: At least 160 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus on Thursday narrowly escaped the suicide bombings at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that claimed the lives of 60 civilians and 13 United States (US) personnel.

Following the twin blasts at the vicinity of the Kabul airport, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that 145 Afghan Sikhs and 15 Hindus, who were evacuated on Wednesday, escaped the suicide bombings as they were standing at the place where the attack took place on Thursday.

Taking to his Twitter account, Manjinder Singh Sirsa "thanked almighty that such thing didn’t happen yesterday (Wednesday) and informed that all Afghan Sikhs and Hindus who took refuge in Gurdwara Karte Parwan are safe.

"I just had a phone call conversation with S Gurnam Singh, president of Kabul Gurdwara committee who apprised me that today’s Kabul airport explosion has happened at exactly same place where they were standing yesterday. We thank Almighty that such thing didn’t happen yesterday," Sirsa tweeted.

"All the minorities who have taken refuge in Gurdwara Karte Parwan are safe," he added.

Two explosions took place outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Thursday evening. Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul airport.

The attackers killed a total of 85 people outside the Kabul Airport. According to a health official the toll of Afghans killed had risen to 72, including 28 Taliban members. The U.S. military said 13 of its service members were killed in attack on Thursday, says Reuters.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the killings on its Amaq news channel. ISIS-K said one of its suicide bombers targeted "translators and collaborators with the American army". US officials also blamed the group.