British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his government will continue with its evacuation operation in Afghanistan after suspected suicide bombers struck the crowded gates of Kabul airport, killing at least 40 people and wounding dozens more on Thursday, APA reports citing Reuters.
After Johnson chaired an emergency response meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, he said Britain's airlift would continue "going up until the last moment."
"We are able to continue with the programme in the way we have been running it, according to the timetable that we have got and that is what we are going to do," Johnson said.
At least two explosions struck the crowded gates of Kabul airport, causing a bloodbath among desperate civilians hoping to flee and casting the final days of the Western airlift of its citizens and allies into chaos.
Johnson said that the military have been preparing for the evacuation for months and were aware of the security threats.
"There were always going to be vulnerabilities to terrorism and opportunistic terrorist attacks. We condemn them, I think they are despicable, but I am afraid they are something we had to prepare for," he said.
Johnson paid tribute to the Afghans and members of the U.S. military who were killed. At least four U.S. military personnel were killed in the blasts at the airport, sources told Reuters.
"We extend our condolences both to the United States of America and the people of Afghanistan," he said.
Johnson would not comment on who the government suspected was behind the attack.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
