are in going to the airport, whatever the risks there are at the airport today, for all of them just look at this for them, the greatest danger is staying here in afghanistan. and tonight, that danger all too clear. there had been warnings for a week of an attack like this a last strike against western troops set to leave within days, another blow to many afghans last hope of leaving this chaos behind. lyse doucet, bbc news, kabul. we can now speak to bradley bowman who serves as senior director of the center on military and political power at the foundation for defense of democracies. he previously served as a national security advisor to members of the us senate armed services and foreign relations committees, as well as serving in afghanistan as an active duty us army officer. thank you very much for being with us. i have to ask you, we were warned in the last few days of the potential imminent
we ll get more on president biden s comments in a few minutes, but first let s get more on the situation in kabul. our chief international correspondent lyse doucet has just sent this report, which does have some distressing images from the start. the feared attack, a bombing forewarned, casualties rushed yet again into kabul s emergency hospital after twin bombings close to kabul airport. this man was there. translation: i saw at least 400 or 500 people there. the explosion was really powerful. half were hurled into the water, others on the ground outside. we carried the wounded here on stretchers and, here, my clothes are completely bloodied. so many wounded, some shoved into wheelbarrows, afghans who d hoped to be on an aeroplane tonight, flying to a safer place. this attack claimed by the islamic state group shattered that hope and struck one of the deadliest blows against us troops
there s a live page running for the very latest information, and also this explainer from our security correspondent frank gardner on the group known as isis k, which is thought to have carried out the attack. if you wanyt to get in touch with me i m on twitter @bbckarishma you re watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme. seeking another escape route thousands of afghans travel to the border with pakistan, but many are not being allowed through. he s the first african american to win the presidential nomination of a major party,
nation for evacuations. there had been warnings that an offshoot of the islamic state group in the region was planning an attack. speaking at the white house president biden insisted it would continue despite the bombings and said the serviceman who lost their lives where he rose and the attackers would be made to pay. we have a continuing obligation. a sacred obligation to all of you. the families of those heroes. the obligation is not temporary. it lasts forever. their lives to be lost today were lives given in the service of liberty, the service of security, the service of others. in the service of america. like theirfellow brothers and sisters in arms who died defending our vision and our values, who died defending our vision and ourvalues, in who died defending our vision and our values, in the struggle against terrorism, of the full
even in president biden s own party, of the us having to depend on the taliban to secure the perimeter of the airport. what s been his response to that? he rejects that criticism. he stands by it. he praised general mckenzie, who s the top commander in the region, saying that he thinks he did well to try and keep that area secure. and he made the point, and he keeps reminding people of this, that it is in the taliban s interest for isis k, this group who has taken responsibility for the explosions at kabul, to not get bigger. lets look at some of the international reaction to the attacks in kabul. germany has called it a heinous attack and says a hospital plane is on standby to help treat injured people at the airport. here s chancellor angela merkel. there is a high level of pressure to be exerted in the effort of lifting people out of kabul. , ., ., , effort of lifting people out of kabul. ., kabul. tens of thousands of eo - le kabul. tens of thousands of people have