Afghanistan: US drone strike kills Islamic State ‘planner’ of Kabul airport bombing

The US Central Command said the strike killed an Isis-K member in Nangarhar, amid indications the group planned more attacks

The Pentagon said the US believed there were still ‘specific, credible’ threats against the airport after the bombing at one of its gates

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A Taliban fighter stands guard as Afghans walk to the main entrance gate of Kabul airport on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:17am, 28 Aug 2021Updated: 11:35pm, 28 Aug 2021

The United States attacked an Islamic State “planner” in Afghanistan in retaliation for a deadly bombing outside Kabul airport and said there was a high risk of further blasts as it nears the end of a mission to evacuate civilians and withdraw troops.

Among the scores killed in Thursday’s suicide bomb blast, claimed by an Islamic State (Isis) affiliate in the country, were 13 US service members, the most lethal incident for US troops in Afghanistan in a decade.

US Central Command said on Friday the overnight drone strike took place in Nangarhar province, east of Kabul and bordering Pakistan.

“Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties,” a US military statement said.

A US official said on Saturday the target of its overnight drone strike was not believed to be a senior Isis militant, and did not rule out future action against the group.

Spokesmen for the Taliban, which completed a rapid takeover of the country this month as US forces withdrew, declined to comment on the drone strike. The Isis group in Afghanistan is an enemy of the Taliban as well as the West and the Taliban has said it arrested some suspects after the blast.