Afghanistan: American strike in Kabul to avoid a new attack – teller report

An explosion, then a column of smoke rising in the sky. For a few moments this Sunday afternoon, the Afghans believed in another terrorist attack before learning that it was an American airstrike. The target: an Islamic State vehicle, loaded with explosives, destroyed by a drone near the Kabul airport.

“US forces carried out a defensive air strike today” drone, launched from outside Afghanistan, “against vehicle in Kabul, eliminating imminent IS-K threat to international airport” Hamid Karzai, said Bill Urban, a spokesman for the central command. “We are sure we have reached the target”, he added. “We are checking for the possibility of civilian casualties”, he said, specifying that he did not have “no indication at this time” that there is. “Strong secondary explosions from the vehicle showed the presence of a significant amount of explosives”, he added. “We remain vigilant for potential future threats.”

In the Afghan capital, where 300 Americans still have to be evacuated, the alert has been high since Saturday. It is therefore the second strike in two days, ordered by Joe Biden from his country under the influence of emotion. The bodies of the thirteen soldiers, killed Thursday, have indeed just been repatriated. Thirteen young Americans including a young woman photographed during evacuation operations at the airport.

Meanwhile, in the streets of Kabul, Taliban forces are increasingly visible. Two days before the American withdrawal, the authorities are raising their voice against the United States. “The Americans cannot do anything on their side. They cannot carry out such strikes. They must stop and have no right to carry out such operations in Afghanistan. Our independence must be respected.”, said the spokesman of the Taliban, Zabihullah Muhajid.

The Taliban have started negotiations with many Western states including France. How to continue the evacuations? How do you restore some semblance of security? This Sunday, from Iraq, Emmanuel Macron put forward a track: obtain in Kabul the creation of a protected zone under United Nations control. This Franco-British proposal will be discussed at the UN on Monday.

In the meantime, during a very last flight, France repatriated its diplomats, the French ambassador to Afghanistan, its advisers as well as the last soldiers returning from Kabul.