The U.S. military announced Friday that it was conducting an unmanned aerial attack on ISIS-K in Afghanistan and said “initial indications” show it killed one of the group’s planners. The strike came a day after ISIS-K claimed responsibility for one attack on one of the airport gates this left at least 170 dead, including 13 members of the American service.
“U.S. military forces have today carried out an anti-terrorist operation against the horizon against an ISIS-K planner,” Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, confirmed Friday night. “The unmanned aerial vehicle attack took place in Nangahar province, Afghanistan. Early indications are that we killed the target. We do not know of any civilian casualties.”
The statement did not identify the target of the attack or the role a “planner” plays in the group. It is unclear whether the planner took part in Thursday’s attack, which also injured 18 members of the US service and dozens of Afghan citizens.
Affiliated with ISIS, the group that spread to northern Iraq from Syria six years ago and once controlled territory about the size of Britain, ISIS-K it first emerged in Pakistan at the same time, in 2015. Its members come from other Pakistani militant groups, including the disillusioned Taliban.
On Friday evening, the U.S. embassy in Kabul sent one alert telling people to stay away from Kabul airport because of “security threats”, and added that those within four doors of the airport should “leave immediately”.
“Because of security threats at Kabul airport, we continue to advise U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates,” the embassy wrote on its website. “American citizens who are at the door of the Abbey, the East Gate, the North Gate or the gate of the New Home Office should leave immediately.”
It was not immediately known what intelligence prompted the warning, but Friday earlier Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby and Army Divisional General William Taylor, deputy director of joint regional operations personnel , warned that the United States expects more attempted attacks.
The United States continues to work to evacuate the remaining Americans and Afghan allies to Afghanistan before the August 31 deadline. Biden to withdraw the remaining American forces from the country. Since Aug. 14, the U.S. has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 105,000 people, according to the White House.
David Martin contributed to the complaint.