Afghanistan: ‘Very High Risk Of Terror Attack’ Against UK Evacuations
Published
| Last updated
Reports have warned of a ‘very high risk of a terror attack’ against UK evacuations in Afghanistan.
Efforts to get people out of Kabul are ongoing, with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace saying it’s down to ‘hours, not weeks’ ahead of US troops withdrawing from the country. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other G7 leaders appealed to President Joe Biden to extend the deadline, but he’s standing firm.
Amid rising tensions around Kabul’s airport, with the Taliban believed to be stopping people trying to flee to the country despite pleas for safe passage, officials are now concerned over terror attacks emerging in the Afghan capital.
A senior British source has warned there could be a terror attack committed against the evacuation efforts being carried out by the UK, US and other allied forces in Kabul, Sky News reports.
Officials are most alarmed by the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan known as Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K, the source said.
As per Politico, the gates at Kabul’s airport have been closed because of the rising security threat from ISIS. ‘The US has been transparent that there is an active and continuing threat from ISIS. That said, the US military can continue our mission at HKIA as long as we are ordered to be there, and we are not going to shut down the mission in response to a threat from ISIS,’ Central Command spokesperson Capt. Bill Urban said.
‘We continue to be extraordinarily vigilant in regard to this ongoing threat and will take all measures necessary to defend our forces and the evacuees, as we continue the mission.’
If you’d like to help those who’ve been affected by the recent devastating events unfolding in Afghanistan, you can make a donation to the UN Refugee Agency United Kingdom here
Topics: News, Afghanistan, ISIS
