“Following a blast at Abbey Gate, countries like the Netherlands, Poland, and France cease evacuations, as intelligence warns of further attacks.”
The evacuation operation at Kabul’s airport has been significantly impacted after a large explosion targeted one of the entry gates, hours after multiple western intelligence agencies issued warnings about a credible terrorist threat.
The blast, confirmed by Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, occurred at the Abbey Gate of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport. It was followed by gunfire and marks a tense moment in the evacuation process. As a result, several western nations, including the Netherlands and Poland, announced they would end their evacuation efforts, citing the immediate danger of a potential attack.
The UK, one of the most involved nations, advised its citizens and Afghan evacuees not to approach the airport, calling the reports of an imminent attack “very, very credible.” The US State Department issued a specific warning for those near the Abbey, east, or north gates to leave immediately and only approach the airport if explicitly instructed by a US official.
With the situation rapidly deteriorating, France confirmed that it would also cease its evacuation flights by Friday, further signaling the collapse of the airlift operations amidst the escalating threat.
