KABUL: Flying rocket across the Afghan capital on Monday as the United States races to complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan, with evacuation of civilians all except high terror attacks.
President Joe Biden has set a Tuesday deadline to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan, utilizing the longest military conflict of his nation, which began in retaliation for September 11 attacks.
The return of the Taliban Islamic Movement, which was overthrown in 2001 but took back strength two weeks ago, triggered an exodus of fears on US-led evacuation flights.
The flight, which requires more than 114,000 people from Kabul Airport, will officially end on Tuesday when the last of the thousands of American troops withdraw.
But US troops now focus mainly about flying themselves and American diplomats safely.
The group of Islamic countries, the rival of Taliban, pose the biggest threat to withdrawal after carrying out a suicide bombing at the airport last weekend who claimed more than 100 lives, including 13 US troops.
Biden has warned more attacks very possible, and the United States said it did an air strike on Sunday night in Kabul on a vehicle that was full of explosives.
It was followed on Monday morning with the sound of flying rocket across Kabul, according to AFP journalists in the city.
People who live near the airport say they hear the sound of the missile defense system is being activated.
Smoke can be seen ride near the airport.
A Taliban spokesman confirmed the incident on Sunday, said a car bomb that was destined for the airport was destroyed – and that the second attack might have reached the nearest house.
The United States has been accused of killing many civilians in air strikes throughout the war, one of the reasons to lose local support, and it is again possible on Sundays.
“We realized the report of civilian casualties after our strike on a vehicle in Kabul today,” Captain Bill Urban, a spokesman for the US Central Command, said in a statement.
Urban said the US military was investigating whether civilians were killed, noting that there was a “strong” explosion produced from the destruction of the vehicle.
“We will be very sad with the potential loss of innocent life,” he said.
In recent years, article Afghanistan-Pakistan Islamic State has been responsible for some of the most deadly attacks in these countries.
They have civilians slaughtered in the mosque, public boxes, schools, and even hospitals.
Although both of them and the Taliban are Sunni Islamists hardline, they are bitter enemies – with each claiming as a true bearer of the Jihad flag.
The suicide bombing last week at the airport led to the worst dead victim for the US military in Afghanistan since 2011.
The threat has forced the US military and the Taliban to work together in ensuring security at the airport in an unthinkable way a few weeks ago.
On Saturday, the Taliban fighters dropped a stable Afghan current from the bus to the main passenger terminal, handed it to US forces for evacuation.
Taliban have promised softer regulations than their first task, which ended with the US military because they gave Sanctuary to Al-Qaida.
But many Afghans are afraid of repetition of the brutal interpretation of the Taliban about Islamic law, and violence for violence to work with foreign military, western mission or government supported by the previous US.
Western allies have warned, thousands of risky Afghans have not been able to get evacuation flights.
On Sunday, the Taliban revealed their highest leader Hibiballah Akhundzada was in southern Afghanistan and planned to make public appearances.
“He was present in Kandahar.
He has lived there from the start,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
“He will soon appear in public,” added the Deputy Spokesman for Bilal Karimi from the leader, whose existence was largely unknown.
Flew rocket in Kabul when our evacuation ends
