Another U.S. drone strike hit a vehicle Sunday carrying a target described as an ISIS-K suicide bomber near the Kabul airport.
A suicide bomber was killed by a U.S. drone Sunday in Afghanistan, U.S. officials reported.
After news reports of explosions in a residential neighborhood near the Kabul airport, the Pentagon confirmed there was an airstrike. Black smoke rose in the sky in televised reports.
A U.S. official said the U.S. struck a vehicle carrying a suicide bomber and explosives. The U.S. described the bomber as an “imminent ISIS-K threat.”
It was the second U.S. drone strike since an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 170 Afghans on Thursday outside the airport.
On Sunday, President Biden and first lady Jill Biden landed in Delaware to meet with the 13 service members’ families and join the transfer of the troops’ remains to Dover Air Force Base. The troops consisted of 11 Marines, one soldier and one sailor.
Also on Sunday, President Biden suggested Tuesday’s withdrawal deadline could be extended.
“There’s discussions going on among us and the military about extending,” he said. “Our hope is we will not have to extend, but there are going to be discussions, I suspect, on how far along we are in the process.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called on the president to extend the deadline, saying there was “no excuse” for sticking with Tuesday’s withdrawal date.
The Republican congressman from Bakersfield also called on Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call the House back into session to discuss Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the last British evacuation flight for British civilians left Kabul Saturday, according to the BBC. On Sunday, Britain’s last fights carrying military personnel and others were scheduled to leave.
The British ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, left the nation Sunday and arrived at the Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire.
More than 100 British citizens were expected to be unable to leave Afghanistan, the BBC reported. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Taliban would have to ensure safe passage for people who wanted to leave if Afghanistan wanted aid money and diplomatic recognition.
A joint statement by the U.S. and other countries said the Taliban has promised to allow all foreign nationals and Afghan citizens with travel authorization to leave Afghanistan safely.
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