Taliban condemn attack at Kabul airport

Kabul - Taliban spokesman says the blasts occurred in an area controlled by US forces

The Taliban have condemned the attack outside Kabul’s airport, saying it occurred in an area controlled by US forces.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his group “strongly condemns” Thursday’s attack and is paying close attention to security.

The attack was believed to be carried out by Afghanistan’s Daesh group affiliate.

Russian officials said two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted crowds massing near the Kabul airport, killing at least 13 people and injuring 15.

A US official said the complex attack was “definitely believed” to have been carried out by the Daesh group, whose affiliate in Afghanistan grew out of disaffected Taliban members.

Even as the area was hit, the official said evacuation flights continued to take off from Kabul airport, which Western governments earlier warned was a target.

One explosion went off in a crowd of people waiting to enter the airport, according to Adam Khan, an Afghan waiting nearby. He said several people appeared to have been killed or wounded, including some who lost body parts.

US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the explosion, the White House said.

• Asia