i'm laura trevelyan in washington, and this is bbc world news america. two explosions near the airport in kabul leave devastation in their wake. one blast happened at a us checkpoint for afghans, the other at a hotel. eyewitnesses describe a chaotic scene. translation: people started running awa and we translation: people started running away and we got _ translation: people started running away and we got out. _ translation: people started running away and we got out. i _ translation: people started running away and we got out. i saw— translation: people started running away and we got out. i saw at - translation: people started running away and we got out. i saw at least. away and we got out. i saw at least 400 500 people there. the explosion was really powerful. half were hurled into the water, others under the ground outside. we carried the wounded on stretchers here and my clothes

are completely bloodied. among the dead were 12 us service—members and dozens of afghans. more than 140 others were injured. us military officials say despite the loss of life, the evacuation mission will continue. they warn that those who carried out the attacks will be held accountable. we are working very hard right now to determine who is associate with this cowardly attack and we are prepared to take action against them. welcome to world news america on pbs and aroud the globe. we begin tonight with the deadly scenes in afghanistan, where at least 50 afghans and 12 us service members were killed by explosions at kabul airport. at least 140 were injured. islamic state claimed responsibility for the attacks. the us military says it will continue the evacuation of americans and afghans and hold the attackers accountable. hours before the explosions, western officials warned of a credible threat to kabul airport by an affiliate of islamic state. a warning, this report from our chief international

correspondent lyse doucet contains distressing images. the feared attack, a bombing forewarned. casualties rushed yet again into kabul�*s emergency hospital. and they wait for more injured to arrive, the victims of a double suicide bombing close to kabul airport. this man was there. translation: i saw at least 400 to 500 people there. i the explosion was really powerful. half were hurled into the water, others on the ground outside. we carried the wounded on stretchers and, here, my clothes are completely bloodied. the wounded shoved into wheelbarrows, the afghans who were hoping to be on an aeroplane today, flying out to a safer place. this country's endless war shattered that dream. the islamic state group is believed to have done it. earlier today, in this gathering storm, an ever growing clamour to board a flight.

this is the centre of kabul, the people desperate to find ways to get to that airport. security card with british people. how many years? maybe one year. a few years ago. this man doesn't have a visa or a passport, so he created his own documents. what is this? "we worked for years, we are in danger now. what will be our future?" but now the british are saying it is too dangerous to go to the airport. dangerous, yes. i cannot go in the airport. i cannot go. even three—year—old salim is worried, just listening to his mother. she tells us they got to the airport and were sent from gate to gate. she says the taliban asked, "why do you want to leave?" and threatened to shoot her.

now, it's been two days on this street for her exhausted children. the taliban are now stopping afghans from even travelling to the airport. but still they try. they're bringing certificates, they're bringing flight details, they're bringing whatever letter they've ever had from any government anywhere in the world. whatever the risks there are in going to the airport, whatever the risks there are 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. the loss of american military lives

is exactly what the biden administration was hoping to avoid. us military officials confirmed that 12 died and 15 were injured in the attacks. general kenneth mckenzie, commander of us central command, said there are real specific threats ongoing, but the evacuation will continue as planned. we are continuing to bring people onto the airfield. we just brought a number of buses aboard the airfield over the last couple three hours, so we continue to process, we will continue to fly people out. the plan is to operate under stress. if we can find he was behind this, we will go after them. you have said all along we retain the right to operate against isis in afghanistan and we are working very hard to determine attribution, to determine who is associate with this cowardly attack, and we are prepared to take action against them. islamic state have claimed responsibility for today's attacks. for more on their affiliate

in afghanistan and the big—picture threats in the country, i spoke to bruce hoffman, senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the council on foreign relations. u nfortu nately, unfortunately, isis has had a presence in afghanistan for some years now. the good news is since 2018-2019, the years now. the good news is since 2018—2019, the pace of attacks has dropped by about 80%, the bad news is between january and april this year, they staged three times as many attacks as over the same period last year. they also expanded to seven more provinces in afghanistan. so they have certainly become more aggressive and more threatening. find aggressive and more threatening. and what is the relationship between islamic state and the taliban in afghanistan? are these killings what the taliban want to see at the airport? the taliban want to see at the airort? ., ., ., ., ~ airport? no, not at all. and the taliban is _ airport? no, not at all. and the taliban is attempting _ airport? no, not at all. and the taliban is attempting to - airport? no, not at all. and the taliban is attempting to assert | airport? no, not at all. and the i taliban is attempting to assert its authority over a chaotic situation outside the airport and certainly in kabul as well, and these terrorist attacks presumably from isis k are

an immense threat both to their credibility and to the ability to control and restore some form of order in afghanistan.— order in afghanistan. president biden said _ order in afghanistan. president biden said on _ order in afghanistan. president biden said on july _ order in afghanistan. president biden said on july eight - order in afghanistan. president biden said on july eight that. order in afghanistan. president | biden said on july eight that the biden said onjuly eight that the us had degraded the terrorist threat in afghanistan. what is your assessment of that statement in the light of what happened today? essen of that statement in the light of what happened today? even before what happened today? even before what happened _ what happened today? even before what happened today, _ what happened today? even before what happened today, the - what happened today? even before what happened today, the united l what happened today, the united nations for instance has recently reported that some 8000 — 10,000 foreign reported that some 8000 —10,000 foreign fighters have been entering afghanistan to strengthen, whether it is al-qaeda, the taliban or indeed isis k, so the terror threat there has been growing, not diminishing.— there has been growing, not diminishina. �* ,, , . ., diminishing. and the us is claiming what it is going _ diminishing. and the us is claiming what it is going to _ diminishing. and the us is claiming what it is going to have _ diminishing. and the us is claiming what it is going to have a _ beyond the horizon ability to monitor afghanistan was us forces leave. do you think that is possible?— leave. do you think that is possible? isis k was never completely _ possible? isis k was never completely eliminated - possible? isis k was never completely eliminated in l possible? isis k was never _ completely eliminated in afghanistan when it had the united states, the

afghan army, the afghan intelligence services, the afghan police as well as the taliban and al-qaeda after. in this current environment, where it isjust going in this current environment, where it is just going to be the taliban supposedly securing and protecting the afghan population against isis k attacks, was how it happened at the airport today, and it is going be challenging to say the least. find challenging to say the least. and from a us counterterrorism perspective, is it getting those forces as as possible? that perspective, is it getting those forces as as possible?- forces as as possible? that is exactly what _ forces as as possible? that is exactly what the _ forces as as possible? that is exactly what the terrorists . forces as as possible? that is exactly what the terrorists in | exactly what the terrorists in particular in is k and others want, further embarrassment and humiliating the united states by truncating this evacuation, by forcing the united states citizens, other western countries and also desperate afghans being left behind, so i would not say it is in the interest in the united states for the argument we're going to hear is we have to trunk at this evacuation because of the danger that we should

have anticipated weeks, if not months, ago, just how active isis k has been in recent months in recent months. �* . ., ., ~ months. bruce hoffman, thank you so much forjoining _ months. bruce hoffman, thank you so much forjoining us _ months. bruce hoffman, thank you so much forjoining us with _ months. bruce hoffman, thank you so much forjoining us with that - much forjoining us with that sobering analysis. let's hear more from on the ground in afghanistan, our correspondent secunder kermani is in kabul and joins us now. what is the latest? more details emer: in: what is the latest? more details emerging on _ what is the latest? more details emerging on these _ what is the latest? more details emerging on these terrible - what is the latest? more details l emerging on these terrible suicide bombings, as we've been saying throughout the day. they occurred close to the abbey gate entrance to the airport, controlled by both british and american soldiers. that is what we have seen, according to us officials, the deaths of 12 us service personnel. there were also hundreds of afghans they're trying to make their way inside the airport... horrific scenes, truly,

truly horrific scenes, far too graphic for us to broadcast, and just piles of bodies lying in a canal of sewage with the sewage turning red with the blood of the victims, others who survived but were injured being wheeled away in wheelbarrows, taken to hospital. isf claims responsibilit t, the islamic state group. they street of carrying out brutal attacks, particular here in kabul in the past. they have attacked wedding halls, funerals, maternity units in hospitals. there are fear rival of the taliban... the taliban had in fact... the ability to carry out the stoeva sitting attacks, particular hearing kabul, as i say. attacks, particular hearing kabul, asisa . ~ ., ., attacks, particular hearing kabul, asisa. . . ., as i say. what are the taliban sa in: as i say. what are the taliban saying about _ as i say. what are the taliban saying about these _ as i say. what are the taliban | saying about these explosions as i say. what are the taliban - saying about these explosions -- saying about these explosions —— particularly here in kabul. taste saying about these explosions -- particularly here in kabul. we have heard the taliban _ particularly here in kabul. we have heard the taliban condemn - particularly here in kabul. we have heard the taliban condemn the - heard the taliban condemn the

explosions. we have also heard further blasts through out the evening, the last one quite powerful about rattling our windows. it is not clear what they were for some some suggestions they could have been carried by american forces destroying equipment as they prepare to leave, but it is really adding to a feeling of anxiety here in kabul. what afghanistan would look like, the prospect of that, some afghans, they at least been clinging to the hope that life would be people in the meantime. there would not be bombings, terrorist attacks, those had largely been carried up by the taliban, but these blessed by really raising concerns that even if the taliban's war with the afghan government has come to an end, groups like the islamic still operating in the country, they will be more bloodshed in the future to. secunder kermani life rested in kabul, thank you. —— live for us.

the bbc�*s aleem maqbool has been monitoring the events from here in washington, and hejoins me now. president biden wanted an orderly and secure withdrawal from afghanistan full—time how is he going to expand what happened? {iii going to expand what happened? of course he might state, and we are respecting to hear from course he might state, and we are respecting to hearfrom him course he might state, and we are respecting to hear from him sit very soon, he had been warning this and what he was so adamant that this evacuation mission stuck to the self—imposed timetable of finishing on the 31st of august. he said that was primarily because of security concerns, as you know, over the last couple of days. he has been very specifically talking about the threat coming from the islamic state group, but a shocking sombre day here in washington, as you know. the first loss of life of american military personnel in afghanistan for 18 months. and we had been hearing from the pentagon about the circumstances of the deaths of those american military personnel also we've been hearing that they were

involved in the mission around the perimeter of the airfield in kabul, to carry out physical checks on people coming onto the airfield we heard from the senior us military voice, in general, who described how in doing that, they would notjust feel the close of those people coming onto the airfield, they would feel the breath of their faces on their faces as well for and of course they have carried out that mission successfully for more than 104,000 people who have come onto that airfield over recent days, but it was those young men and women, us troops who were carrying out those security checks, who are among those who have been killed and injured. and what's been the political reaction to what's happened? clearly there has been _ reaction to what's happened? clearly there has been a _ reaction to what's happened? clearly there has been a huge _ reaction to what's happened? clearly there has been a huge amount - reaction to what's happened? clearly there has been a huge amount of - there has been a huge amount of criticism for lots of different aspects of what appears to many to be a shambolic withdrawal from afghanistan over recent days. for now, though, we are hearing from the

pentagon in response to a lot of the criticism that, actually, things had generally gone well in terms of coordination with the taliban for some interestingly they said they did not feel that the taliban had allowed these attacks to take place, they say they feel these attacks were carried out by islamic state listens and recorded it with the taliban continues. there are those critical hear of course, the public and voices in particular, who say they should not have evacuated, vacated the much more secure background of military base in kabul the americans vacated several weeks ago no —— republican voices in particularfor ago no —— republican voices in particular for to ago no —— republican voices in particularfor to buy ago no —— republican voices in particular for to buy questions about the future of the evacuation mission. the pentagon has said that evacuation mission must continue, if anything to honour the lives of those killed in the name of that mission earlier today.— mission earlier today. aleem maqbool. — mission earlier today. aleem maqbool, thank _ mission earlier today. aleem maqbool, thank you -

mission earlier today. aleem maqbool, thank you so - mission earlier today. aleem maqbool, thank you so much mission earlier today. aleem . maqbool, thank you so much for joining us. that fraud evacuation at kabul airport is not to get out of afghanistan —— france in fraught evacuation. many afghans have fled to neighbouring pakistan. 0ur correspondent shumaila jaffery has been to the border town of chaman and spoke to refugees who've just crossed over from afghanistan. this is the border point. thousands of desperate families, trying to escape into pakistan. these are people who knew they had no chance at kabul airport. they are desperate to reach safety. but there is chaos here, too. just a few are being let across. these families left almost everything behind. with small children in tow, exhausted from walking in the baking heat, the elderly and sick pushed on wheelbarrows. as the taliban flag flutters at the border, people tell us,

they don't trust their country's new rulers and feel no future in afghanistan any more. no—one can trust the taliban, because we have some experience 20 years ago. right now, we just want to come to a safe area. the people here have come from across afghanistan. since the taliban captured kabul, thousands of ordinary afghans are crossing through the border every day. this woman is from a minority community, persecuted by the taliban. she has made the dangerous trip from kabul with her daughters. she tells me that her daughter—in—law was killed in a taliban bombing some years ago. translation: they are terrible people. | i am scared of them. they have martyred my daughter—in—law. they do not have any sympathy. they are heartless.

the people here are scared for their safety. there are many reasons for afghans to fear the taliban. they are walking into unknown futures. still, they do not want to stay behind. shumaila jaffery, bbc news, chaman, pakistan. you're watching bbc world news america. still to come on tonight's programme: we hearfrom one family who has made it out before the attacks. they are now settling into their new life in the uk. tunisia's president has attacked the country's parliament, calling it a "danger to the state", as the political crisis continues. he's just extended the month—long suspension of parliament "until further notice". sally nabil has the latest. this country lives in a state of uncertainty. no one knows what is

going to happen next. the president has suspended the parliament indefinitely and since then, another party which is a moderate islamist party which is a moderate islamist party that enjoys a parliamentary majority called his decision a clear breach of the constitution for so they said the country should be back to his political path, and on the other hand the president called the parliament a danger that threatens the state. he also said that he cannot talk to corrupt politicians. the country also suffers from huge budget deficit, crippling debts and people here do not know when they can look forward to a better tomorrow. let's 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 kabul airport. here's chancellor angela merkel.

we know that the window of opportunity is closing. tens of thousands of people have been airlifted to security. today i would like to once again repeat that those who have not been able to leave kabul with the help of the airlift will not be forgotten. we will continue to work, to ensure that they can leave their country if they so wish. miss merkel has actually cancelled a trip to israel as a result of the situation in afghanistan. the uk prime minister has also weighed in. borisjohnson condemned the attack as "barbaric", paying tribute to the "phenomenal effort" of those involved in the evacuation operation. but he added that the uk evacuation effort would continue. we have already extracted the

overwhelming majority of those under both the uk persons, uk nationals, plus the afghans, the interpreters and others, and it has been a totally phenomenal efforts by the uk. there's been nothing like it for decades and decades. but clearly what this attack shows is the importance of continuing that work come in as fast and as efficient a manner as possible in the hours that remained to us, and that's what we're going to do. as borisjohnson as boris johnson speaking as borisjohnson speaking there. we should add that the nato secretary—general has also condemned what he called a horrific terrorist attack. now, let's look at some other international news now. officials in ethiopia's northern tigray region say a government blockade has left nearly a million people on the verge of starvation. the rebels says the health system in the region has been

crippled, and measures against covid are nonexistent. the government in addis ababa has blamed the situation on tigrayan forces, accusing them of obstructing aid efforts and attacking electricity workers. japan has suspended the use of about 1.6 million doses of the moderna vaccine due to what they say was contamination. officials said foreign substances have been found inside a number of unopened vials. moderna said no safety issues had been identified so far — and they would find other supplies to avoid disruption to japan's vaccine programme. new research in west africa has shown that combining an anti—malaria vaccine with a preventative drug lowered hospitalisations and deaths from the disease by more than 70%. but a key precondition was for the medical cocktail to be administered just before the start of the annual rainy season injune. malaria mainly affects children and young people, killing more than 400,000 people each year, mostly in africa.

let's return to the situation in afghanistan and look now at the refugees who got out. 0ne interpreter who worked with uk forces spoke to our special correspondent lucy manning. he's currently in quarantine with his family. a new life inside the uk. this is what freedom looks like when you leave your homeland and have to build a home again. this is refuge. how are you and all the family doing? everyone is ok and now we are in safety and we are very thankful. we spoke to bohan, a former interpreter and his family last week, hiding in kabul. "uk, please do not leave us," they pleaded. this country didn't leave them. today, they're in quarantine in a hotel in england. how is your son coping with all the big changes?

he's just watching the window and telling me, "when quarantine is finished, i'll walk the street, i walk and see that car." happiness is in his face. it was a hellish journey. bohan filmed part of it — the crush outside the airport, close to today's explosion. it was dangerous for me and everyone. everyone was worried about this situation. finally, their last steps on afghan soil, their first towards a new future. so how was the feeling when you made it onto that raf plane? it was the happiest moment of my life i have ever faced. they've left the taliban behind, but also family and friends and other interpreters who almost certainly now can't escape. what's your message to this government about your colleagues who still can't get out? i demand from them, kindly demand from them, to do their best to evacuate those who are left behind in kabul.

actually, they have to do, because they served the british army and they are endangered. at heathrow today, hundreds more of the fortunate. girls who would have had little future under the taliban. who can say what the children will make of this time? lucy manning, bbc news. and before we go, let's update you on our top story, those bomb attacks in kabul today. the pentagon says there were two blasts. 0ne happened close to the airport's abbey gate and the other close to the nearby baron hotel. the hotel had been used by some western nations as a staging point for evacuations since the airlift began. us officials also confirmed that 12 us service members were killed and 15 injured in the attacks. afg ha n afghan officials say more than 60 people died overall. despite the bloodshed, the evacuations are continuing. i'm laura trevelyan.

thank you for watching bbc world news america. and president biden isn't speaking now. we are going to go live to them now. we are going to go live to them now at the white house. —— is speaking of. for our viewers on pbs, thanks are watching this special edition of world news america. terrorists attacked that we've been talking about, worried about, the intelligence unity has assessed, has undertaken. the attack bya group by a group known as isis cake, took the lives of american service number standing guard at the airport and wounded several others seriously. they also wounded a number of civilians and civilians were killed as well. i have been engaged all day in constant contact with the military commanders here in washington, the pentagon, as well as in afghanistan and doha. and my

commanders here in washington have been on this with great detail and they have had a chance to speak to some. the situation on the ground is still evolving and i'm constantly being updated. these american service members who gave their lives, it is an overused word but it is totally property here, where heroes, heroes that have been engaged in a dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others. they were part of an airlift, in evacuation effort unlike any seen in history, with more than 100,000 american citizens, american partners, afghans who helped us and

others taken to partners, afghans who helped us and others ta ken to safety partners, afghans who helped us and others taken to safety in the last 11 days. just in the last 12 hours or so, another 7000 have gotten out. they were part of the bravest, most capable, most selfless military on the face of the earth, and they're part of simply what i call the backbone of america. they are the spine of america, the best of the country has to offer. jill and i, our hearts ache like i'm sure all of you do as well, for all those afghan families who lost loved ones, including small children, or have been wounding in this vicious attack. and we are outraged as well as heartbroken. being the father of an army major who served a year interact, and before that was in kosovo, as a us attorney for a

better part of six months in the middle of a war, when he came home after a year, in iraq, was diagnosed — like many, many coming home — with an aggressive and lethal cancer of the brain. we have some sense, like many of you do with the families of these brave heroes are feeling today. you get this feeling like you're being sucked into a black hole in the middle of your chest. there is no way out. my heart aches for them. there is no way out. my heart aches forthem. but there is no way out. my heart aches for them. but i know this. we have a continued obligation, a sacred obligation, to all of you, the families of those heroes, that obligation is not temporary, it

lasts forever. the lives we lost today were the lives given in the service of liberty, the service of security, the service of others, in the service of america. like their fellow brothers and sisters in arms who have died defending our vision and our values in the struggle against terrorism... to those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes america harm, know this. we will not forgive. we will not forget. we will hunt you down and make you pay. i will defend our interests and our people with every measure at my command. 0ver

interests and our people with every measure at my command. over the past few weeks, i know many of you are probably tired of hearing me say it, we have been made aware... people who were freed in both those prisons were opened has been planning a complex set of attacks on united states personnel and others. this is why, from the outset, i have repeatedly said this mission was extraordinarily dangerous and why i been so determined to limit the duration of this mission. as general mckenzie said, this is why our mission was designed the way it was designed to operate. 0perate under severe stress and attack. we have known that from the beginning. as i

have been in