The Afghanistan Capital again witnessed the scenes of unprecedented destruction and horrific bloodshed, when a suicide attacker detonated himself near the entrance of Kabul airport on Thursday. The Health Ministry of Afghanistan informed the media that more than 60 people were killed and over 100 injured in the explosions. According to reports, most of the victims of the attacks were the Afghan men, women and children gathered outside the airport to escape the potential prosecution by the Taliban regime, however cruel death did not let them go out of the Country. The US Embassy confirmed the death of 13 US Marines and injuries to several US Soldiers in the explosions near the airport. According to reports, the first explosion was made by a suicide bomber, followed by a car bomb blast and gunfire. According to reports, several European citizens were present at the Baron Hotel Kabul at the time of attack, however they remained safe from any physical damage. The Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid strongly condemned the explosions near the Kabul airport and said that US forces were responsible for security in the area where bombing took place on Thursday. Later, Taliban claimed killing of their 28 fighters in the attack near the airport. There were reports of serious and imminent threats of suicide attacks at Kabul airport due to huge influx of Afghans trying to get out of the Country. A day earlier several Western Countries warned their citizens in Afghanistan to avoid visiting Kabul airport during these days. ISIS-K has accepted the responsibility of the attack and said their target was Afghan translators who worked for the US military during the past. According to reports, there are serious threats of similar attacks on the airport in coming days. US President Joe Biden condemned the terrorist attack and ordered the US military to hunt down the terrorist group responsible for this nefarious crime. Commander US Centcom General Kenneth F. McKenzie told the media that Taliban fighters also thwarted some attempts by the ISIS-K following the Thursday attack. In fact, the menace of terrorism has built its roots deep into the Afghan society during the war in the country over last four decades. Due to the absence of a Central government in the country, the terrorist groups, warlords, and criminal gangs had made their strongholds in different areas and freely governed the small chunks of Afghan land. It is not an easy task for any Afghan government to locate and destroy the terrorist networks and their sleeper cells across the country.
Presently, the ISIS-K has significant presence in Eastern provinces along Pak-Afghan border and in Northern provinces of Jawzjan and Faryab.
According to experts, the challenge of ISIS-K is not a simple job for Taliban Movement if it comes into power because of ongoing negotiation for a political setup. Presently, Taliban do not have any Counterintelligence network and not trained in Counter insurgency/ Counter Terrorism operations. If unfortunately, the Afghan parties could not reach a consensus political solution then Afghanistan will enter another anarchy and the ISIS-K threat would increase many folds because of availability of a favorable environment for its growth in the war-torn Afghanistan and the region. However, the recent attacks at Kabul airport would push both Taliban and Afghan republicans toward unity against their emerging common enemies in coming days.
