bombings at kabul airport. one blast occurred at the gate where us and british forces have helped evacuate thousands of people. a second happened at a hotel nearby. twelve us servicemen were killed and fifteen wounded. the us said two suicide bombers from the islamic state group carried out the attacks, and that a gun battle followed the explosions. president biden paid tribute to the americans who lost their lives, and said the attackers would be hunted down and made to pay for their actions. he insisted that the airlift would continue despite the bombing. canada has joined several european nations in wrapping up evacuation operations but britain and france say they will continue. thousands of soldiers from the us and other nations remain to be flown out of kabul.

welcome to our viewers in the uk and around the world. in the next few minutes we will look at what the papers here in the uk are saying about afghanistan but first let's remind ourselves of what us presidentjoe biden had to say. we will respond with force and position at our time at the place we choose and a moment of our choosing. here's what you need to know. these isis terrorists will not win. we will rescue the americans there. we will rescue the americans there. we will get our afghan allies out and our mission will go on. america will not be intimidated and i have the utmost confidence in our brief service members will continue to execute this mission with courage and honour to save lives and americans are afghan allies out of afghanistan. well, we can speak now to adam weinstein who served with us

forces in afghanistan and is now at the quincy institute, where he specialises in security, and rule of law in afghanistan and pakistan. thank you forjoining us and it is a dark day for us troops and this will give greater pressure on president biden and his strategy. it is give greater pressure on president biden and his strategy.— biden and his strategy. it is true that it is a _ biden and his strategy. it is true that it is a dark— biden and his strategy. it is true that it is a dark day _ biden and his strategy. it is true that it is a dark day but - that it is a dark day but also reinforces those to the right decision not to continue a failed military strategy in afghanistan. and look, we can talk about what went wrong with evacuation. and that could be discussed explored and there should be those held accountable if decisions that were made that should not of been made. but the reality is that we stayed in afghanistan does maintain the status quo, we have also seen us troops targeted in these isis attacks are precisely the attacks that the us troops cannot prevent an gunman a

maternity ward in kabul in may of 2020 and there is and the country in kabul, but isis, sometimes caught isis k has been terrorising afghanistan for the past several years. the us troops have not been able to provide a solution to that. you say to a certain extent this vindicates president biden, breeze of the first us military casualties for many months. no us soldier has died since early 2020. that surely calls into question perhaps not president biden�*s decision to withdraw troops but by the manner in which the withdrawals taking place. the reason i we didn't have us casualties is because there was a made with the taliban did not engage with us troops and the taliban under that deal in exchange withdrawal. having just flown past the

withdrawal and just decided to tear up withdrawal and just decided to tear up the agreement and stay in afghanistan, the taliban would've targeted us troops. isis kp is a different story when you're dealing with the humanitarian operation in which us troops are in close contact with civilians and non—state actor like isis kp is able to mingle with the cloud, this does increase the chance of this happening in the us mission in afghanistan was able to target isis kp leaders in the southeast of the country at times, but it wasn't able to prevent these kinds of attacks and urban areas. president biden says we will continue to complete this mission and the us will complete this mission. what does that mean in terms of your understanding, it means that they will stay there until the end of the month? it means the us will stay _ until the end of the month? it means the us will stay there _ until the end of the month? it means the us will stay there until— until the end of the month? it means the us will stay there until august i the us will stay there until august 31 and i think the ideas that he

will get as many americans and afghans out as possible and will have to come up with a creative solution to get the rest of those left behind. and it has not been executed perfectly, there will be times will need to be explored what went wrong, but the focus needs to be on getting those people who were in the airport out and coming up with the plan for when the us does withdraw from afghanistan. and it only underlines how difficult of an operation this was and that there was some risk in having an open—ended evacuation that went on for weeks and i think that is why the biden administration had set a timeline because they understood that isis was operating in an area and there was a risk of mass casualties. and there was a risk of mass casualties-— and there was a risk of mass casualties. ., ~ , ., , . casualties. thank you very much for our casualties. thank you very much for your time- — casualties. thank you very much for your time. that _ casualties. thank you very much for your time. that is _ casualties. thank you very much for your time. that is adam _ casualties. thank you very much for your time. that is adam weinstein. your time. that is adam weinstein from the quincy institute. i'm joined now by omar samad,

former afghan ambassador to france and canada and an advisor to dr abdullah abdullah, the former chief executive of afghanistan. thank you so much forjoining us here on bbc news. just to start with what is your assessment of the situation on the ground now. the situation on the ground now. the situation on _ situation on the ground now. tue: situation on the ground now. tte: situation on the ground now. tte: situation on the ground now. tte: situation on the ground now has two focuses. one is the airport, evacuation and the tragedy to happen today. the next five days the us and its allies will have to take as many ex—pats, as many as ivs and 78,000 security and military personnel out of afghanistan, as well as select

others. and what happens in terms of counterterrorism now. those who were able to maintain security and instability and kabul and other provinces and not only of the next five days but also beyond august 31 and the third thing will be what will happen politically on the taliban and other figures agreeing to a power—sharing arrangement or not. to a power-sharing arrangement or not. , . . . ~' to a power-sharing arrangement or not. ,. ., , to a power-sharing arrangement or not. ., ., ., to a power-sharing arrangement or not. ,. ., , ., ., ., not. this attack does appear to have shown the taliban _ not. this attack does appear to have shown the taliban might _ not. this attack does appear to have shown the taliban might be - not. this attack does appear to have shown the taliban might be in - not. this attack does appear to have l shown the taliban might be in power, but they are not able to ensure the security situation, certainly not around the airport.— security situation, certainly not around the airport. what it does show that something _ around the airport. what it does show that something went - around the airport. what it does| show that something went wrong somewhere. kabul is reporting to be under taliban control and they will have to ensure security on the path

on the way to the airport. some flaw or neglect or whatever may have happened, we do not know. the us administration does not seem to blame the taliban that much for this. if they want to engage them to do theirjob of provided security to make sure that this does not happen again. but it means that overall, the taliban have a responsibility to make sure that not only the inhabitants of kabul are save but these missions are also given the security that they need in the areas that they're responsible and. d0 security that they need in the areas that they're responsible and. do you want any further _ that they're responsible and. do you want any further intervention? - that they're responsible and. do you want any further intervention? the | want any further intervention? the un is due to meet in emergency sessions, which like to see un intervention? tt sessions, which like to see un intervention?— sessions, which like to see un intervention? it is not a question of one person — intervention? it is not a question of one person or— intervention? it is not a question of one person or one _ intervention? it is not a question of one person or one group, - intervention? it is not a question | of one person or one group, it's a question of what is possible, you know that you insist through the un

security council, they have to have the approval of the p5, which i don't think the same wavelength of what to do next in afghanistan. as long as differences in opinion and consensus on the way forward. i think what is best to do is to make sure that the next five days go as smoothly as possible. the taliban will do what they have to do and the americans would do what they have to do and then we need to focus on the african political transition and also the state of the economy which is really hurting people because there are normal places coming into afghanistan and in august 31, they have two major challenges on the political front, have two major challenges on the politicalfront, as have two major challenges on the political front, as well as on the economic front.— political front, as well as on the

economic front. ., ~ , ., , . economic front. thank you very much. the former— economic front. thank you very much. the former afghan _ economic front. thank you very much. the former afghan ambassador - economic front. thank you very much. the former afghan ambassador to - the former afghan ambassador to france and canada. thank you. in the uk, the prime minister boris johnson chaired a meeting of the government's cobra emergency committee this evening. he said the attacks would not stop flights from leaving kabul. i'm joined now by major chip chapman, who is former head of counter—terrorism at the ministry of defence. there has been warnings about an imminent attack at the airport from the uk government, from other governments yesterday. was this attack at all preventable, do you think? ., , ., , think? nothing is inevitable until it ha ens think? nothing is inevitable until it happens and — think? nothing is inevitable until it happens and so, _ think? nothing is inevitable until it happens and so, the _ think? nothing is inevitable until. it happens and so, the preventable bit would've had to of been delete had make between the interface between the taliban of the american forces. and the airfield, it was not a disaster because the parameter wasn't breached but it is a disaster because there are 68 plus civilians

killed and i2 marines. and it is that interface between when you hand over the civilian or the taliban side to the military part of the infrastructure where you have the real potential problems for all of the disaster that we saw happening today. it should been preventable checks alongside the route to kabul city to the airport. but there are lots of ways things can go wrong in afghanistan either through people or processes not being correct. what processes not being correct. what does this mean _ processes not being correct. what does this mean for _ processes not being correct. what does this mean for the _ processes not being correct. what does this mean for the foreign forces that remain there now for another four, five days? forces that remain there now for anotherfour, five days? how forces that remain there now for another four, five days? how will they change the way in which they act on the ground? the they change the way in which they act on the ground?— act on the ground? the forces one chance act on the ground? the forces one change the — act on the ground? the forces one change the way — act on the ground? the forces one change the way they _ act on the ground? the forces one change the way they act _ act on the ground? the forces one change the way they act as - act on the ground? the forces one change the way they act as at - act on the ground? the forces one change the way they act as at all. | change the way they act as at all. and the imminent attack thread which

she put out this morning was not aimed at the military audience, there were nomads, really into two other audiences. the people who are congregating at the airport and the ones who mostly were caught up in this. and second, to the population backin this. and second, to the population back in the uk because the inevitable reality is that at some stage, we are not going to be able to get all of the civilians who are potentially entitled, out of the country. and of course, if you have friction which delays things as a big bomb does, that a roadster time and we have a fixed time working back from the 31st of august. we have five days left, two or three of those days we need to get the military out. the windows diminishing to get any civilians out in the future. find diminishing to get any civilians out in the future.— in the future. and we heard president — in the future. and we heard president biden _ in the future. and we heard president biden say - in the future. and we heard president biden say that i in the future. and we heard i president biden say that every effort would be made to get us citizens out after the deadline has

passed. is that realistic? mr; passed. is that realistic? tj�*i understanding passed. is that realistic? tj�*i: understanding is passed. is that realistic? m; understanding is that the americans have only a thousand people left to get out. and in terms of the capability and capacity of the americans, if people want to come out, they could. the british have been more reticent to give you the figures that they are entitled. different figures to get bandy around, as of yesterday, there were 2000 left from the afghan resettlement translator scheme and then on top of that, you've got people who worked for national ngo, nongovernment organisations and seemingly every private company that ever worked there has leverage sources back in the uk. so, the number keeps growing. under the neo system and remember, we went in initially ten or 12 days ago on a non—combat evacuation operation. normally, you would have a warden system where you would know those

were entitled. this seems to have expanded slightly. so, that is the danger, people are turning up and they shouldn't and that also can lead to a real transition problem in the end and crowd control. and they need the taliban to actually help out and making sure that you don't have large crowds of the airport and that you have described management because the real problem is when you transition to the civilian side is over and it's only military flights and that can lead to a lot of panic unless people are escorted away before that occurs.— before that occurs. thank you so much. time now for a look at the papers.

hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the the uk papers will be bringing us on friday. with me are james moore, the chief business commentator and columnist for the independent, and iain anderson, who's the chairman of cicero—amo, which is a public policy consultancy firm. just a warning that the papers have distressing images. tomorrow's front pages, starting with. carnage in kabul, the guardian and papers across the world focus on the explosions in afghanistan tonight, with dozens killed in the airport bombings. the telegraph calls it �*america's deadliest day in a decade' as 12 us troops die in the blasts and 15 others are injured. the international version of financial times looks at the effect the explosions will have on the biden presidency, saying it has has caused severe setbacks to the president's evacuation strategy. �*hell on earth', the sun features pictures of children with british

passports at kabul airport hours before the explosions, trying to flee afghanistan. the daily mail calls the attacks �*the tragic price of surrender�*, condemning president biden's decision to withdraw troops from afghanistan. and the times features a photo of the wounded being carried in wheelbarrows to get medical help, as at least 60 civilians are said to have died in the blasts. so, let's begin. it isa it is a very grim and sombre set of front pages that we have. i know you both agree. and they all lead with afghanistan, so we will be spending our time talking very much about the story. front page of the daily mirror, which has on its front page, the photograph of almost all the papers. a very distressing with two women with very bloodied faces and i

think it's worth pointing out that there is circulating some, even more horrific material on social media that the papers cannot show and we certainly will not show. but they certainly will not show. but they certainly give an account of how awful the situation was. i wonder if i can come to you first, james and your thoughts about what we're seeing and reading. it is horrible. it's 'ust seeing and reading. it is horrible. it'sjust horrible, _ seeing and reading. it is horrible. it'sjust horrible, what _ seeing and reading. it is horrible. it'sjust horrible, what else - seeing and reading. it is horrible. it'sjust horrible, what else can i it's just horrible, what else can you say? the image that really does bring it home shockingly, it is not easy to look at. i know when i first looked at it, i winced. in a still image like that can be particularly powerful and this time because it really does bring home the extent of the horror that happened out there today. the horror that happened out there toda . the horror that happened out there today. eti�*? this is the horror that happened out there today. eh? this is been a grim month

today. en? this is been a grim month and this is been the most grim of days _ and this is been the most grim of days. just — and this is been the most grim of days. just listening to joe and this is been the most grim of days. just listening tojoe biden earlier, — days. just listening tojoe biden earlier, incredibly sombre, listening _ earlier, incredibly sombre, listening to boris johnson and earlier, incredibly sombre, listening to borisjohnson and i think. — listening to borisjohnson and i think. the _ listening to borisjohnson and i think, the imagery that we see on the front— think, the imagery that we see on the front pages, thank goodness we don't have _ the front pages, thank goodness we don't have to talk about what is online — don't have to talk about what is online this _ don't have to talk about what is online this evening. i looked at some _ online this evening. i looked at some of— online this evening. i looked at some of that and it is truly tragic. this is— some of that and it is truly tragic. this is a _ some of that and it is truly tragic. this is a desperate situation and this has— this is a desperate situation and this has been the most desperate of days _ this has been the most desperate of da s. �* , ., ~ this has been the most desperate of da s. �*, .,~ ., ., this has been the most desperate of da s. �*, ., ., ., days. let's take a look at some of the other from _ days. let's take a look at some of the other from pages. _ days. let's take a look at some of the other from pages. let's - days. let's take a look at some of the other from pages. let's go . days. let's take a look at some of i the other from pages. let's go next the otherfrom pages. let's go next to the daily express and its headline, i2 to the daily express and its headline, 12 us troops killed in kabul, carnage. and it says 12 but there are reports that actually, the casualty figure might be higher than that. i

casualty figure might be higher than that. ~ ., that. i think that there were re orts that. i think that there were reports saying _ that. i think that there were reports saying 15 _ that. i think that there were reports saying 15 injuries - that. i think that there were reports saying 15 injuries as| that. i think that there were - reports saying 15 injuries as well and we don't know how serious some of those trips have been injured and also, we shouldn't forget that 60 civilians of also been killed. some of them have been children it seems from the report that we are getting. so, we note that this is very interesting political developments interesting political developments in the us because this happens during the biden presidency and the two parties, they are both rather split on this. mitch mcconnell, the republican came up with some very strong words about this today and some democrats are quite queasy about the withdrawal but summer in support of it and both big us

parties are fractured about this, but you can only look at it and feel dreadful. the front page of the financial times showing here the international. it makes the point that james is the international. it makes the point thatjames is making the international. it makes the point that james is making that the explosions keep pressure on president biden possible strategy. and the point being made is that even people who agree that america, president biden was right to withdraw troops, are questioning the speed with which that was done in the manner with which is happening. to build on whatjames is saying. to build on what james is saying. one of— to build on what james is saying. one of the — to build on what james is saying. one of the most unedifying things this evening is to watch a traditional political slanging match going _ traditional political slanging match going on — traditional political slanging match going on. between republicans and

democrats. look, a republican president. _ democrats. look, a republican president, donald trump said in the strategy— president, donald trump said in the strategy but biden has continued the strategy— strategy but biden has continued the strategy in this debate as to whether— strategy in this debate as to whether or not those the right thing to do _ whether or not those the right thing to do but _ whether or not those the right thing to do. but party politics shouldn't come _ to do. but party politics shouldn't come anywhere near what we are seeing _ come anywhere near what we are seeing this— come anywhere near what we are seeing this evening. i was quite struck— seeing this evening. i was quite struck watching the president's press _ struck watching the president's press conference earlier where he talked _ press conference earlier where he talked about as president, he has had to— talked about as president, he has had to cali— talked about as president, he has had to call the relatives of the american _ had to call the relatives of the american debt service personnel. he was talking _ american debt service personnel. he was talking about his own experience. his family's experience, his son _ experience. his family's experience, his son who— experience. his family's experience, his son who served in iraq and had died _ his son who served in iraq and had died i_ his son who served in iraq and had died. i couldn't help her get this feeling — died. i couldn't help her get this feeling of. — died. i couldn't help her get this feeling of, unfinished business. hes— feeling of, unfinished business. he's wanted to end this war because it has— he's wanted to end this war because it has meant something to him and his family — it has meant something to him and his family. just as george w. bush wanted _ his family. just as george w. bush

wanted to— his family. just as george w. bush wanted to start this war 20 years a-o wanted to start this war 20 years ago because there was unfinished business — ago because there was unfinished business from his father's own iegacy~ — business from his father's own iegacy~ it _ business from his father's own legacy. it struck me really power for tonight. the front page of your own paper, — for tonight. the front page of your own paper, refugees and us marines murdered _ own paper, refugees and us marines murdered side by side. and would be refugees, people who want to be refugees, people seeking refuge but did not make it. the terrible thing _ refuge but did not make it. tte: terrible thing about what refuge but did not make it. tt2 terrible thing about what is happening out there and the chaos of this is you have these large crowds of people running about, it is disorganised, it is chaotic. and unfortunately, when you have the security situation that's as volatile as it is in afghanistan, it is catnip to organisations like

isis. i will imagine that america will want to strike back and you'll want to strike back hard. certainly joe biden in his statement and said that but, yeah, the fear is i think now, is whether we see more like this, the report shows that there will be more times like this in the situation out there is is making that quite likely, i fear. the front .ae. that quite likely, i fear. the front -a~e of that quite likely, i fear. the front page of the _ that quite likely, i fear. the front page of the times, _ that quite likely, i fear. the front page of the times, the _ that quite likely, i fear. the front page of the times, the main - that quite likely, i fear. the front| page of the times, the main story being scores killed in kabul attack. just below that is an exclusive by anthony lloyd in kabul about embassy details and afghan staff, the taliban to find.—

details and afghan staff, the taliban to find. this is a very important — taliban to find. this is a very important story, _ taliban to find. this is a very important story, now - taliban to find. this is a very important story, now that i taliban to find. this is a very| important story, now that we taliban to find. this is a very - important story, now that we have seen _ important story, now that we have seen pictures of the british embassy, really brave work by the us embassy— embassy, really brave work by the us embassy team and the british ambassador. staying to support the evacuation — ambassador. staying to support the evacuation effort and the time since the story— evacuation effort and the time since the story of— evacuation effort and the time since the story of some files being found and not _ the story of some files being found and not shredded in the british embassy _ and not shredded in the british embassy. identifying some of the members — embassy. identifying some of the members of the afghan community that supported _ members of the afghan community that supported the uk military and diplomatic effort and that is a tragic— diplomatic effort and that is a tragic read but one can understand that this _ tragic read but one can understand that this is — tragic read but one can understand that this is been a desperate situation _ that this is been a desperate situation of the british embassy have _ situation of the british embassy have done much as they can and myself, — have done much as they can and myself, with my own charity supporting lgbt people in order to try and _ supporting lgbt people in order to try and get some of them out of this situation _ try and get some of them out of this situation it— try and get some of them out of this situation. it is a desperate, desperate situation and i can

understand why this is happening. i want understand why this is happening. want to understand why this is happening. i want tojust read understand why this is happening. i want to just read to you a response from the foreign office in relation to this story. a foreign office spokesperson said we worked tirelessly to secure the safety of those who worked for us in afghanistan and we will continue to do so. crucially, we have been able to get these three families to safety. three families in that article by anthony lloyd. the drawdown of her embassy was done at paces the situation in kabul deteriorated. every effort was made to destroy sensitive material and the source from the foreign offices we are grateful to the times for sharing the information retrieved in working with us to enable us to get this family to safety. thank you very much. coming up next is newsday. you're watching bbc news.

hello. it's a mark of how strange a summer it's been when i can tell the truth and say it's been warmer than average for the uk. some of you will look at me like i've gone crazy. the met office say that it's been about a degree warmer than average this summer so far, warmest compared with average in scotland and northern ireland. you know in london and southeast england, even though it has been a little warmer than average, it's been really quite wet and dull this summer. it is at least now dry, but it is still quite dull with all the cloud we've had. high pressure is close to the uk, keeping things settled friday, the weekend and throughout much of next week. doesn't mean sunny, though, and overnight and into the morning, a lot of cloud will have pushed in from the east. and temperatures will be a little lower than this in the countryside. across scotland, a lot of the cloud will clear during friday, but still keeping some towards the east coast. northern ireland, once any fog patches clear, some sunny spells here.

for wales, especially in the west, far southwest of england, for cumbria, some occasional sunshine, perhaps developing more widely through some eastern parts of england on through the afternoon. this wind direction, though, will continue a feed of cloud and breeze into the coast of eastern scotland and northeast england, keeping temperatures down here at around 15, 16 degrees, whereas elsewhere, mainly 17 to 20. a little higher, though, with prolonged sunny spells across western parts. overnight and into saturday, areas of cloud, clear spells, down into single figures where you're clear. and by the end of the night and first thing on saturday, the chance of a few showers running in across southeast england, more especially into kent. so this is how the weekend is shaping up. it is looking, for the most part, dry, bar the chance of that shower towards the far southeast on saturday for a time, variable cloud and some sunny spells around. probably faring quite well for sunny spells during saturday. temperatures, high teens, just a few creeping into the low 20s.

a bit of a change for part two of the weekend on sunday. the high pressurejust drifting more towards the northwest, allowing a flow of a little more moist air to run down into scotland, with more widely cloudier skies on sunday, perhaps northern ireland, too, and running in across the eastern side of england, where, still, along that north sea coast, it'll be rather cool in the cloud. but really quite pleasant where you're still getting to see a bit of sunshine.

welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines: twin bomb attacks at kabul airport leave at least 60 dead and 140 others wounded. translation: people started running away and we got out. | 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 on stretchers and, here, my clothes are completely bloodied. 12 us service personnel are among those killed. president biden vows to finish the evacuation mission and track down the perpetrators. we will not forgive. we will not forget.

we will hunt you down and make you pay.