U.S. launched drone strike against ISIS-K in Afghanistan, likely killing intended target

The U.S. army introduced Friday that it has performed an unmanned airstrike in opposition to ISIS-Okay in Afghanistan, and mentioned “preliminary indications” present it killed one of many group’s planners. The strike got here at some point after ISIS-Okay claimed accountability for an attack at one of the airport’s gates that left at the very least 170 useless, together with 13 U.S. service members.

“U.S. army forces performed an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation right this moment in opposition to an ISIS-Okay planner,” Captain Invoice City, spokesman for U.S. Central Command, confirmed Friday evening. “The unmanned airstrike occurred within the Nangahar Province of Afghanistan. Preliminary indications are that we killed the goal. We all know of no civilian casualties.”

The assertion didn’t establish the goal of the assault, or what function a “planner” has within the group. It’s unclear whether or not the planner was concerned in Thursday’s assault, which additionally injured 18 U.S. service members and scores of Afghan residents. 

An affiliate of ISIS, the group that unfold into northern Iraq from Syria six years in the past and as soon as managed territory roughly the dimensions of Britain, ISIS-K first emerged in Pakistan across the identical time, in 2015. Its members have come from different Pakistani militant teams, together with disillusioned Taliban fighters. 

Earlier Friday night, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul despatched out an alert telling individuals to keep away from the Kabul airport because of “safety threats,” including that these at 4 of the airport’s gates ought to “depart instantly.” 

“Due to safety threats on the Kabul airport, we proceed to advise U.S. residents to keep away from touring to the airport and to keep away from airport gates,” the embassy wrote on its website. “U.S. residents who’re on the Abbey gate, East gate, North gate or the New Ministry of Inside gate now ought to depart instantly.”

It wasn’t instantly clear what intelligence prompted the advisory, however earlier Friday, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby and Military Main Common William Taylor, joint employees deputy director for regional operations, cautioned that the U.S. expects extra assault makes an attempt.

The U.S. continues to be working to evacuate the remaining People and Afghan allies in Afghanistan earlier than Mr. Biden’s August 31 deadline to tug the remaining American forces from the nation. Since August 14, the U.S. has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of roughly 105,000 individuals, based on the White Home.

David Martin contributed reporting.