♪ anchor: this is "dw news." carrying on, the pentagon pushes through with evacuations to the last moment. most countries have ceased flights after more than 100 died thursday near the kabul airport. afghanistan is morning the victims. the afghan branch of the so-called islamic state said it carried out the attack. also coming up. german troops on home soil after their mission in afghanistan

ends, but hundreds of citizens and thousands of afghan staff remain behind. we would hear the latest. and german chancellor angela merkel pledges more covid-19 vaccines for africa. in a final summit before a new chancellor is chosen, she vows to make 70 million doses available to help with economic growth and stability. ♪ to our viewers of pbs in the u.s. and around the world, thanks for being with us. michael: the pentagon says thursday's terror attack near the kabul airport was carried out by a single suicide bomber in one location. it is warning that more attacks could be ahead in the coming days.

the afghan branch of the so-called islamic state said it was responsible for the blast. 13 soldiers were among the dead, as well as other foreign nationals. the vast majority of victims were afghans, whoadeen hoping tfind safety elsewhere. correspondent: this is where crowds of desperate afghans were waiting as they tried to escape the country, but they never made it. instead, they were met with horror. dozens of people were killed and many more were injured in the attack. relatives are combing through hospitals in the hope of finding their loved ones alive. >> [speaking foreign language] translator: one of my brothers was at the airport. he wanted to fly abroad. unfortunately, he is missing after the attack. i don't know whether he was

inside the airport or not. the americans are not allowing anyone to go there. correspondent: outside the airport, crowds have begun to form. people are scared of another attack, but their fear of the taliban also runs deep. >> [speaking in foreign language] believe me, i think an explosion will happen any minute now. god is my witness. we have lots of challenges in our lives. that is why we take the risk to come here and overcome our fears. correspondent: as afghans recover the dead, people know that these will not be the last victims. more attacks are likely, but the u.s. has insisted it will keep flying out of kabul until the deadline to leave, just days away. michael: our journalist joins us from kabul. new details from the pentagon confirmed only one explosion took place outside kabul

airport. initial reports mention two explosions. what are you hearing? correspondent: the people we spoke to who were there, eyewitnesses, said there was a second sound, something that seemed like a second explosion, only a little bit after the first one. one family had said that when they made it safely away from the gates is when they heard what they presumed to be a second blast, so later at night around 11:00 p.m., there was something i heard myself, that people waiting outside the emergency hospital in kabul that people throughout kabul heard, that sounded like another blast that took place, so the pentagon 's report does not seem to match up with people at the airport later, and also with people in the city of kabul even later at night around 11:00 p.m. at night

, so it is interesting to see how they do not add up and why they may not add up. michael: u.s. officials also say there are credible threats targeting kabul airport. are people still trying to get to the airport despite the precarious security situation? correspondent: people are still trying to get there. i don't think the crowdare big as they used to be, but there are people still trying. the taliban has responded by extending their perimeter out by another 500 meters beyond the airport entrances, so it, you know, that propulsion, again, it will desperate caution -- that precaution will lead to more violence because of those in charge of the security leading

to these gates are known for their violence, intimidation, hostility, for shooting into the air, using pipes to hit people and chasing after them, dispersing them to make sure they don't loiter or linger somewhere. so, you know, the security measure in itself is hostile and intimidating, and in the past, there were reports of u.s. soldiers using teargas, firing on other forces, leading to the death of at least one, so this entire process has been violence and intimidation. michael: let's talk about the evacuation efforts. there are several days to go before the 31st. are those evacuation efforts still underway at the airport? correspondent: there are still some. um, it sounds at this point if they are minimal -- as if they

are minimal, i mean the sounds of the sky in kabul. only a few days ago, all day and all night, you would hear flights taking off. now it is much, much fewer, much less. ironically, when we were at the burial of one of the victims of yesterday's bombing, we saw a plane, a u.s. military, or a presumed u.s. military plane, but if even if you just listen to the skies of kabul, it is much less than it would have been any other day this week. michael: that is a journalist in kabul. many thanks. we are now joined by an expert on counterterrorism and foreign policy in pittsburgh, pennsylvania in the u.s. welcome to dw.

isis-k say they carried out the bombings. who are they? jason: this group formed in 2015. the founders of this group were pakistani taliban members who were pushed into eastern afghanistan in that border area, pledged allegiance to isis, and there has been funding and cooperation between them. we hear how they have clashed with the taliban. specifically, they have been involved in several hundred documented firefights or attacks on the taliban, particular 2018-2019 timeframe. michael: i imagine the attack was a propaganda coup for isis-k . what did they ultimately want

and what are they trying to signal? jason: this group is dedicated to stirring secretary and violence. -- sectarian violence. which is coming to them, it is not just the westerners who are their enemy, it is the shia, the sheiks, someone who does not conform to their idea. so they are announcing they are a political force in the nation, and two, they will not spare those victims they have highlighted. michael: is it likely there will be ongoing conflicts between them? jason: i think so. i have a lot of questions the past few days, is the taliban allowing this to happen? or are they unwilling?

the reality is the output is what matters. whether they are an effective security partner or unwilling to take down this activity, the reality is dead westerners, dead afghans, so i think we will see the taliban confront this group, as they are confronting other domestic rivals. the question is where to those effects ripple outside the borders of afghanistan? michael: the taliban appeared to be in complete command of everything in kabul, outside the airport. might this be the sign they have lost some of that control? jason: yeah, it is a sign about, and also a sign of when we think of sovereignty, or the hegemony of violence as it has sovereign control over its own territory, that is not how it ends up

working in afghanistan historically, but the taliban, even in the 1990's, 10% of the country they never controlled, so these groups right, will have a freer reign regardless of the reason taliban victory. michael: we have a splintering of groups now, including at the center this, the taliban. with the u.s. withdrawal looming , i think outsiders might look at this and say, you have got lots of balls in the air and the potential of this escalated. how is it likely we will see an escalation in the coming weeks and months? jason: it will be high. to your point, i appreciate that about the volatile situation, because we are dealing with a number of violent groups in a part of the world that is about to see ongoing humanitarian

catastrophe, and at the same time that that is taking place, right, the world has evidence, decades now that evidence of what happens when the taliban controls afghanistan, so whether internal skirmishes, the eventual export of terrorism, or whether it is a civil war that develops and humanitarian catastrophe there, each scenario is dangerous. michael: that is jason kilmer joining us from pennsylvania in the united states. thank you. jason: thank you for having me. michael: the pentagon says that personnel wounded in kabul have now arrived in germany for medical treatment. u.s. president joe biden has promised to strike back against those responsible for the bombings. the 13 military deaths represent one of the worst single-day losses by u.s. forces in afghanistan in nearly 10 years.

president biden said it will complete its evacuation mission and stick to the tuesday withdrawal deadline. german troops, diplomats, and police officers evacuated from afghanistan have arrived in germany at a military airbase in northern germany. the returning soldiers and dip a medic staff were accompanied by germany's defense minister. the planes flew first to the logistical hub in tashkent, before heading to germany, where they were met by family members. the german rescue mission's final flight out of kabul took off shortly after the attacks thursday at the airport. the defense minister offered her condolences for the victims. >> [speaking foreign language] translator: our first thoughts are with the victims of the horrific terror attack in kabul. the civilians and our fellow

soldiers from the u.s., who we worked with side-by-side in this operation. and we also think that all those left behind in kabul. we have told them that in the second phase we would do everything we can in the coming days, weeks, months, to get them out of kabul and afghanistan. michael: more than 100,000 afghans have been evacuated in recent weeks from the country, including some of the most talented young people, like a female robotics team, which has led to mexico. their inventions have gained them international recognition and made them potential taliban targets. correspondent: relief after an exhausting journey, the afghan girls robotics team traveled through six countries before arriving in mexico. as the taliban seized territory

in afghanistan, they decided to flee. the young women have never experienced life under militant rule, and intend on keeping it that way. >> we did not want our story ended by the taliban. we wanted to continue what we started to continue to go for our achievements and go for having our dreams a reality, so that is why we decided to leave afghanistan and go to somewhere safe. correspondent: doesn't achievements include a low-cost ventilator for coronavirus patients. they also competed in the world robot olympia in the u.s., and won major awards at other competitions. it is the success that puts them endangered home. under taliban bro in the 1990's, some girls were persecuted for attending school. >> we were the persons who decided to have the high

achievements in afghanistan, in the robotics field, and now they are putting our families in danger because of our achievements. that is why we want an opportunity for quarantine them to be safe as well -- for him to be as safe as well. correspondent: it is bittersweet, they have to abandon their homes to continue their education. >> the thing i really miss is my family and friends that we have lots of the days together, funny, just memories i have, but unfortunately i missed them and hope one day to go back to afghanistan nc them again -- and see them again. michael: here is a look at more of the stories making news around the world. israel's prime minister has met with u.s. president joe biden for the first time since they both took office. he has urged washington not to

reopen the 2015 nuclear deal with iran. the previous administration withdrew from the pack. the u.n. secretary-general has warned a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in ethiopia. his comments come after more than 200 people were killed in days of fighting. one region in ethiopia has been wracked by conflict since november, but the violence has spread into several other regions in the north. african and european union leaders met with german chancellor angela merkel on friday in the last sonnet of her 16-year-long leadership. the meeting was held in berlin, with some participants taking part remotely. the summit discussed the results of the compact with africa program, launched in 2017 to promote private investment in the region. the findings revealed that africa is struggling with slow economic recovery and a lack of

access to covid-19 vaccines. she said germany would more than double the number of vaccine doses it can offered to africa under the covax program. >> [speaking foreign language] translator: vaccines are the key to getting the economy on track. africa has suffered great economic damage in the pandemic. growth is essential for people in africa to make progress. the availability of vaccines and the production of vaccines are directly related to the economic well-being of africa. we have vaccinated more than 60% of our population, and in africa, it is just 2%. this is a terrible injustice that we must overcome quickly. michael: our political correspondent joins me for more. one big topic was the distribution and production of covid-19 vaccines. what can you tell us about that?

nina: well, all sides agree economic development in africa depends on how the african countries can get out of the pandemic, and of course angela merkel pledged germany will send 70 million doses of vaccines to african countries this year, instead of the 30 million announced earlier, but south african and congolese counterparts reiterated it is down to getting local production of vaccines going, and argued in favor of patent sharing, something angela merkel has ruled out over and over. we are hearing the german company that produces one of the world's most successful vaccines with pfizer is looking to setting up production facilities in two regions, and if they are set up, they could in theory produce the covid vaccine,

something angela merkel considers the right strategy. michael: i am curious, why is angela merkel holding this big conference weeks ahead of the election? it seems important to her? correspondent: it is. the german government set up the compact during germany's 27 leadership, so -- g-7 leadership. she says it is a continent with promising markets and many committed people, and with this conference she held despite everything else going on with afghanistan, etc., she has canceled other trips for this, she is sending a message to his successor -- whoever that will be -- that european involvement in africa is important, because she can see other international players are stepping up their investment on the continent, like china. michael: what is the balance after four years of compact with

africa? correspondent: the countries part of the compact did better economically than those not part. their economies did through a little, despite covid-19, but overall the compact with africa has not led to a massive boost. german investment has grown only 1.5 7 billion euros since 27. one reason is people say german companies are risk averse and see the risk in africa is high, and german products are high-quality and expensive, so there is not a lot of demand from african countries, and the german government did introduce tools to boost investment, but those are in the hands of different ministries, and business leaders say there is too much bureaucracy to tap into those resources. michael: chancellor merkel is

also encouraging africa to ramp up the production of other goods, one that her ideas four years ago. the results have been mixed. correspondent: 40,000 chocolate bars are produced every day at this factory. it is unusual, because the company makes the product locally, instead of exporting cocoa beans, like others in the sector. >> the idea and to go more value addition is very well. correspondent: farmers earn more for the cocoa bean harvest, and the company creates many production jobs, but it still faces challenges. >> [speaking foreign language] translator: refrigeration technology, warm and cold water, power supply, all that is not as easily available as in europe. correspondent: suc condition deter inveors from choosing africa. this person has a solar plant

but keeps operations going during power outages, built with the help of a subsidized loan from the investment initiative. investment has increased, but some have doubts. >> [speaking foreign language] translatorwhen we contemplate alone in africa, we need to create 20 million jobs to keep up with population growth, so far this is just a drop in the ocean. >> how much are they going to make available for the locals? correspondent: more and more, young and well educated africans need jobs. economists consider africa the market of the future. michael: highlighting some of the stories making news around the world. a court has convicted austria's former vice chancellor and x leader of the far-right party -- ex-leader of the far-right party of corruption. the case involved donations from a private hospital to his former political party.

a fight has broken out in the armenian parliament. lawmakers through bottles with water across the chamber, and security guards tried to break up the brawl. political tension is high since armenia lost territory it had controlled for decades in a war with azerbaijan. a team of scientists has discovered what they say is the world's northernmost island off greenland's coast. they stumbled upon the 30-meter wide island by accident, saying shifting pack ice revealed a tiny landmass. the discovery comes as a battle among several countries is brewing or land use in the arctic. in football, cristiano ronaldo looks set to make a sensational return to manchester united, as the english premier league club said it agreed on a fee with you vent us for the attacker -- his team with the attacker. he had been linked with manchester city, but pending

some things, it looks like he will return to the club at which he won eight major trophies. he spent the last three years with the italian giant, winning two league titles. the news was greeted enthusiastically by fans from that half of manchester. >> it is amazing, to be honest. to have him rurn, such a legend. he started his career, i've been watching him come up as a teenager. yeah, it would be amazing to have them back in the premier league. it would be phenomenal. >> everything, leadership, mentality, that mentality to w in. hers don't have that yet. bruno tries, but he has never brought anything big, so he will bring that leadership to win trophies that we need. >> he belongs to the red,

doesn't he? >> that's why. >> that's not where he belongs. he belongs to the reds. michael: they are excited. at the paralympic games in tokyo, several world records have fallen on date, with plenty of stunning action. china pulled off one of the most spectacular performances at the game so far. in the 100 meter final for the category of athletes with impairments, she set a time of 13 seconds to smash the world record. brazil has made a flying start to the pera athletics tokyo games. 5000 -- paralympic tokyo games. he claimed the first gold medal of the games, finishing way ahead for athletes with visual impairments. in the same category, his fellow brazilian lept furthest to take

the long jump crown. and, reminder of the breaking news at this hour. the u.s. is pushing forward with evacuation flights out of afghanistan in the wake of a deadly attack. 13 u.s. soldiers in more than 70 afghans, including taliban fighters are among the dead. the afghan branch of the so-called islamic state says it carried out the attack. we will have more news on developments in afghanistan in a short moment. i am in berlin. join me for "the day." that is after the break. ♪ ♪

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france24. com. >> here are our headlines. day after a deadly explosion at kabul airport that killed 92 people. the united states is racing to complete evacuations by its august 31 deadline. and what future for afghan women in the two decades since the taliban last ruled. more than a fifth of the workforce. "france 24's" exclusive report in cab you'll. in nigeria, two separate groups of students have been released from captivity. they had been kidnapped for ran some and reunited with their