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A large explosion occurred outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul where the US military has been working to evacuate American citizens and at-risk Afghans, it was reported on Thursday.
International broadcaster, Al Jazeera reported that the explosion went off outside the Kabul airport, where thousands of people have flocked as they try to flee the Taliban’s recent takeover of Afghanistan.
At least 13 people had been killed in twin suicide attacks and around 15 had been wounded.
Unconfirmed reports said some American personnel, including marines, had been wounded in the blast.
Last week, the department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) confirmed that the South African government is in talks with other countries to give South Africans a “lift” out of Afghanistan.
“This is common diplomatic practice particularly in situations where we’ve got very few nationals requiring assistance,” Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela told African News Agency.
Monyela added that citizens that have made contact, are being assisted.
“Most employers are making arrangements for their employees to leave the country,” he said.
Monyela explained that direct evacuation of South Africans from Afghanistan can be done under circumstances where lives are under threat and that such decisions would have to be taken by the National Security Council.
In a statement, Dirco said it noted the unfolding situation in Afghanistan and was urging South African nationals currently in Afghanistan and in need of assistance to make contact.
This comes after Taliban militants took control of the capital Kabul following the withdrawal of United States troops.
Earlier this month, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, abandoning the presidential palace to Taliban fighters as the Afghanistan’s civilian government in Kabul fell to dreaded Taliban fighters.
Videos of Afghani’s clinging to the sides of a US plane on the runway have gone viral.
According to reports, some fell to their death when the plane gathered speed and took off.
Taliban militants re-captured Afghanistan’s capital, almost two decades after they were driven from Kabul by US troops.
United States President Joe Biden, said he did not regret pulling out American forces from Afghanistan.
Source: GNA
