In the wake of the bomb blast near the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, reports are coming that four U.S. Marines were among those killed.
Two explosions ripped through crowds of Afghans trying to enter the airport on Thursday. The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. Ambassador in Kabul announced that the four Marines were killed in the explosions. The majority of fatalities were Afghans trying to enter the airport because they had assisted U.S.-led coalition efforts and were trying to escape the Taliban.
The attack comes after Western governments repeatedly warned of an imminent attack from Islamic State militants in the area.
"The explosion at the Abbey Gate of the airport was the result of a complex attack, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said," WSJ reports. "He said another blast occurred near the Baron hotel adjacent to the airport. A British security official said both attacks were carried out by suicide bombers."
In a statement released just after the first reports of the blast, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby confirmed the deaths of U.S. service members.
Statement on this morning's attack at #HKIA:pic.twitter.com/Qb1DIAJQJU— John Kirby (@John Kirby) 1629998025
Read the full report over at The Wall Street Journal.
