US airstrike targets IS in Afghanistan in response to deadly suicide attack
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In response to the deadly suicide attack on Thursday, the United States military struck back at the Islamic State by bombing an IS member in Afghanistan on Saturday. The devastating suicide bombing, which was claimed by the group, killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport
In response to the deadly suicide attack on Thursday, the United States military struck back at the Islamic State by bombing an IS member in Afghanistan on Saturday. The strike seems to have killed an Islamic State "planner".
The US Central Command said the strike took place in Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan. "Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties," the US military said in a statement, referring to the strike.
The devastating suicide bombing, which was claimed by the group, killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport.
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On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said the perpetrators cannot hide, and he vowed to strike back at the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate. "We will hunt you down and make you pay," Biden said.
A US official said on Friday, the suicide bomber seems to have carried around 25 pounds of explosives, loaded with shrapnel.
The blast created by the massive amount of explosives and spray of shrapnel was such huge that it killed US troops, who were inside the airport gate as well as troops and Afghans outside, said the official on condition of anonymity.
Generally, a suicide bomber carries from five to 10 pounds of explosives. According to the US officials, the IS bomber got to within several yards of the gate at Kabul airport, where Afghans were crowded in as part of the ongoing evacuation from Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Western forces are also running the Afghan airlift while bracing for more attacks.
(With inputs from agencies)