IS-K Claims Responsibility Of Kabul Blasts That Killed At Least 73 Including 13 US Soldiers

Fears of Afghanistan slipping into further chaos due to the power struggle between the Taliban and the Islamic State seems to be coming true, even before the US completes its withdrawal from the country after 20 years.

At least 73 people, including 12 US soldiers were killed in gun and bomb attacks in Kabul on Thursday evening.

Searching for relatives after the blast at the airport
Citizens search for their relatives and loved ones outside the #Kabul Emergency Hospital. Names are being announced over loudspeakers pic.twitter.com/xYZ7bywwdl

〞 David Berry (@David_b111) August 26, 2021

The blasts came hours after Western officials warned of a major attack, urging people to leave the airport. But that advice went largely unheeded by Afghans desperate to escape the country in the last few days of an American-led evacuation before the US officially ends its presence in the country.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the killings on its Amaq news channel.

JUST IN - ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack on the #Kabul airport in a letter and shared a photo of the Islamist terrorist. pic.twitter.com/egXChWMHa1

〞 Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 26, 2021

The IS affiliate in Afghanistan is far more radical than the Taliban, who recently took control of the country in a lightning blitz. The Taliban were not believed to have been involved in the attacks and condemned the blasts.

There are also some reports that some Taliban militants were among those killed in the attacks.

Blast occurred from inside a crowd of Afghans

The blasts occurred from inside a crowd of Afghans close to the Abbey gate area who were trying to leave the country.

At least 52 people were wounded in the blast near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate in Kabul airport, said Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Taliban.

JUST IN - Taliban spokesperson: "Several explosions have been heard tonight in Kabul, they were controlled detonations carried out by US troops who are destroying their assets at #Kabul airport." https://t.co/40E0fDTFJO

〞 Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 26, 2021

We (myself & @yamphoto) visited the area near Abbey gate the day before the explosion happened. It was absolutely full of people, all in a penned area. This was massively cruel. #Kabul, #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/FtkdH1wu0o

〞 Nabih (@nabihbulos) August 26, 2021

IS-K takes responsibility

The Islamic State 每 Khorasan Province, IS-K emerged in Afghanistan in 2015, and several factions of the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan Taliban had sided with them.

This was at a time when the Afghan Taliban was struggling to hold its troops together, and the IS was making its presence across the world.

Other than Taliban recruits, the IS-K had radicalized men and women from other countries joining its ranks, including several Indians.

Breaking: ISKP has just claimed the responsibility for Kabul attacks in the evening today. #Kabul #Kabulairport pic.twitter.com/vcSpGyoKXB

〞 Talha ahmad (@talhaahmad967) August 26, 2021

Though the IS-K had managed to gain a foothold in some parts of Afghanistan, driving out the Taliban, it was short-lived and several US-drone strikes and Afghan military operations had almost finished the group as a fighting force by late 2019.

Though the group is not active like before, its splinter groups and sleeper cells were always a threat, and many had warned that they may regroup in Afghanistan in the absence of the US.

Meanwhile, former First Vice President of Afghanistan, who claims to be the 'caretaker' President now, Amrullah Saleh on Friday said IS-K has links with the Taliban and the Haqqani network, particularly the ones operating in Kabul.

Every evidence we have in hand shows that IS-K cells have their roots in Talibs & Haqqani network particularly the ones operating in Kabul. Talibs denying links with ISIS is identical/similar to denial of Pak on Quetta Shura. Talibs hv leanred vry well from the master. #Kabul

〞 Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) August 27, 2021

"Every evidence we have in hand shows that IS-K cells have their roots in Talibs & Haqqani network particularly the ones operating in Kabul. Talibs denying links with ISIS is identical/similar to the denial of Pakistan on Quetta Shura. Talibs have learned very well from the master. #Kabul," Saleh said in a tweet.

Earlier, Saleh had blamed Pakistan for setting up terrorist factories and agencies that provide explosives materials to the Taliban in order to create chaos in Afghanistan and called Quetta Shura nothing else but a title for the Pakistani military to implement their plans.