Top US authority Gen Kenneth McKenzie affirmed that 12 US military faculty were killed and 15 harmed in the assaults in Kabul.
Gen McKenzie said:
- US authorities believe the Islamic State group (Isis-K) was behind the attacks and the threat of further incidents is “very real”
- These might take the form of vehicle-borne suicide bombings or rocket attacks
- The US military is co-ordinating and sharing information with the Taliban to prevent a repeat
- US forces believe the Taliban have already prevented some attacks from taking place
- Isis-K has shot at military aircraft “without effect”, but the US military does not believe they possess man-portable air defence systems (Manpads)
- The Pentagon does not believe that additional troops are necessary to secure Hamid Karzai International Airport
- Drones and other aerial systems are being used to monitor events and dissuade further attacks
- About 5,000 people are at the airport waiting to be evacuated. To date, 104,000 civilians have been transferred from Afghanistan, including 66,000 from the US and 37,000 from allies and partners
