the isis branch in afghanistan, a splinter group from the isis group in the middle east. he was planning additional attacks, not necessarily the attack outside the kabul airport that killed 13 american service members. this was a planner, not necessarily even a leader. notice the statement from u.s. central command. doesn't say the isis-k leader. planner. >> words do matter. nonetheless, we're making them pay as the president promised yesterday. i saw the phrase very over the horizon." do we know whether this strike came from the kabul airport, came from somewhere else? >> there's no drones at the kabul airport. they play from the middle east in the united arab emirates. it's an eight-hour flight and have to go from pakistan. you only have ant four or five hours from overhead. that's where the drone strike was launched. the only air assets are apache gun ships. >> could be the indication of the over the horizon capacity necessary once the troops leave. any news as well on intelligence? where we got in information from? >> it's not clear right now. the u.s. military keeps

it doesn't say the isis k reader but isis k planner. pete: we are starting to hunt them down and make them pay as the president promised yesterday. i saw the phrase over the horizon. do we know this drone strike came from the kabul airport? it emanated from somewhere else? information on that? >> reporter: no drones at the kabul airport, these drones fry from the middle east, the united arab emirates, you have to fly to pakistan and we only have four or five hours overhead where this drone strike took place launched from the middle east through afghanistan. the only air assets at the kabul airport are apache gunship switch your family with. pete: the over the horizon necessary capacity, any news on intelligence, where we've gotten this information? >> not clear at this time. the us military keeps a range of assets, the aircraft that can snoop, mobile phones and all these things. a devastating attack we saw in kabul, the us. are scrambling its assets to find out who is responsible and who might be responsible for other attacks. your aler

s. against pakistan turned into isis k central. it's the same thing as isis. so most viewers with no flemish state of iraq and syria, isis, which was this group that took over in 2014, 2015 big swats of iraq and syria. and by the way, who were able to do that because of massive amounts of military equipment that the us left behind specifically interact. that's where they really got their weapons from. they went into iraq, took those home these weapons and went back into syria, isis k, which is the islamic state of correson, which essentially means eastern. they don't like the taliban, they're not friends with the taliban. they've been fighting the taliban. but more importantly, they've been fighting the u. s. and i bring up the point about the weapons because we just did the exact same thing and up dennis and left behind. unbelievable amounts of us military equipment, massive amounts of weaponry and guns black hawk helicopters from these. we left it all there the same way that we did in iraq. so we could be creating a very similar problem of what we saw. 20142

the very real possibility of an isis-k attack. isis-k. from the president, isis affiliate in afghanistan.re every day we are on the ground is another day we know that isis-k is seeking to target thek airport and attack both u.s. and allied forces and innocent civilians. which is exactly what happened. for -- for a -- a week now. up to and including yesterday with those remarks from secretary of state antony blinken. up to and including overnight last night, that urgent in directive from the u.s. embassy in kabul that all americans om should leave the abbey gate immediately because of a specific threat there. they have been on this as an increasingly explicit threat of something they believed could e and would happen.th they said they believed it would happen at the airport. wth it would target u.s. forces. it would target innocent ar civilians at the airport. it would come from isis-k. i mean, the president was explicit that with each, passins day that we kept going with these evacuation mission at the airport, an attack like the one we s

because when the group isis claimed responsibility, isis-k, on the afghanistan affiliates isis, that is something that we have had repeated explicit warnings about from u.s. officials. warnings about that exact threat from that exact group that claimed responsibility for what happened today, those warnings started more than a week ago, and they came from u.s. officials up to and including the secretary of state, and even the president himself. >> we're also keeping a close watch on potential terrorist threats, at or around the airport, including from the isis affiliates and afghanistan who were released from prison when the prisons were emptied. and because they are, by the way, make everybody understand, the isis in afghanistan have been the sworn element of the taliban. >> there is complexity, and there's turbulence on the ground in kabul. it's very risky and dangerous, because there is a genuine threat from isis k. that is the reality of what we are up against. i'm not gonna sugarcoat that reality. >> how real is this isis threat? >> the threat is real. it's a cute. it's persisten

together with isis. they were kind of the franchise, the local franchise and they are certainly organized on the ground now, it is frightening and fascinating to see how they come together. leon panetta predicts our withdrawal from afghanistan may only be temporary. let's watch and listen together. >> bottom line is our work is not done. we'll have to go back in to get isis. probably have to go back in when al qaeda resurrects as they will. they gave safe haven to al qaeda before and probably do it again. i understand we're trying to get our troops out of there but the bottom line is we can leave a battlefield but we can't leave the war on terrorism, which still is a threat to our security. >> harris: that was obama's former defense secretary saying all of that. commander sears, is he right? >> i think he is. buflt -- but i think it will be a long time and metastasize for a while. we have three more years under president biden, who has said we aren't going back. not doing any of this. just listening to j

an official says that president biden approved the strike on the i is isis isis-k planner.ort gate immediately. secretary cohen, thank you, and we are -- are happy to have you here, as well to talk about this breaking news. this air strike. that's what i want to start with. and what centcom is saying. that it believes that the target is dead, and they don't know if any civilian casualties. what do you make of this response to yesterday's attack? >> well, i think it's a case of president biden saying, basically, that the long arm of justice is going to reach out and touch you wherever you are. it's not quite justice, frankly. we lost 13 and many wounded. and 170 or more afghans killed, as well. so, taking out one or two people is certainly important but it's certainly not justice, either. i want to say just a word. you had general mark hertling on just a moment ago. and he said how personal it was to him. it's personal to me and my wife, as well. we remember the uss cole and the cole was a navy ship that was hit by a terrorist boat blowing a hole below the water line. killed

what we saw 20142015 with the other isis isis. k is far from being the only faction being able to carry out such attacks. that's the warning from the africa national resistance front, which controls the pan geo valley and area. now see and is the center of the anti taliban opposition? it's foreign relations had believes the terror 30 in the country right now was actually even stronger than it was 20 years ago. it could be isis, capers. we think there are, there are other elements plan. the attacks might have perpetrated such attacks against us soldiers and was a terrorist attack on the watch of the taliban group that says we are able to provide security. and now in one day we see numerous terrorist attacks happening on the watch. unfortunately, international terrorism and san is much stronger compared to 2001. this is something that the national resistance front of afghan on has been saying for the past year. we believe the international community should help our efforts to combat or national terrorism, and in keeping the, to the

the pentagon and others, intelligence alerts that this would have been isis-k. now isis lost. they were yesterday's story. they lost their base, their caliphate in iraq and syria. they were more or less defeated. they were pushed off of their stronghold. the taliban just won. they are in the process of declaring victory. as isis rolled into kabul, excuse me, as the taliban rolled into kabul, they were freeing many of their prisoners and afghan security forces were running away from prisons. the taliban deliberately freed them. those isis prisoners have been in kabul for the last several days, the last nearly two weeks. in hiding. the taliban does not want them there. they're trying to reinsert themselves, to get back on the map. that we are not defeated, that the isis is still here even though they were defeated and they're trying to capture the moment when the world is focused on kabul, and this is something that i spoke to taliban commanders that they're trying to prevent. not just to keep isis from claiming credit, but they don't want it to slow down the withdrawal. they sa

when you look at the way isis and the taliban relate to each other, especially isis-k, for the most partthey are enemies, but there can be some situations where they would work together. right now that's not the case, but i think in the future there's certainly a possibility of that happening. >> you and i have talked about this a lot. i know you and i both share a grave concern for wartime allies who will not get out almost certainly. i mean with the evacuation efforts, the fact is that this did not have to be so chaotic. the u.s. knew it was leaving, could have started the evacuations literally months ago. how big of a blunder was that? it will cost lives. >> it will cost lives and that makes it a huge blunder. i think one of the most important things when you build a coalition, especially a military coalition, is to make sure you can take care of each other and that goes for the junior partner as well as the senior partner. in these cases where the united states is almost assuredly leaving people behind, that really portends a grave issue for us going forward. it's a grave mistake bec

isis was yesterday's story, and isis is not from afghanistan and from iraq and syria. they were pushed out of their caliphate, but there were many isis prisoners inside the jails in afghanistan and as kabul fell the taliban were breaking into those prisons to release their own militants and some isis prisoners escaped, as well. the taliban has been looking for them, and i know this from speaking to the taliban and also from witness accounts. the taliban have been setting up checkpoints. they've been trying to hunt down some of these isis militants, but there is a lot of confusion in kabul. if you want to hide you can hide and it seems like at least one, perhaps two were able to penetrate perhaps through this sewage canal that corridor between the baron hotel and the abbey gate, carrying an explosion and put themselves back into the public discussion ride on the coattails of the taliban's victory and carried out this attack. >> obviously, this is the goal of our terror groups disorient the enemy and not only the taliban and the united states and cause fear and panic in

s. against pakistan turned into isis k central. it's the same thing as isis. so most viewers with no slumming state of iraq and syria re isis, which was this group that took over in 2014, 2015 big swath of iraq and syria. and by the way, who were able to do that because of massive amounts of military equipment that the us left behind specifically interact. that's where they really got their weapons from. they went into iraq, took those home these weapons and went back into syria, isis k, which is the islamic state of correspond, which essentially means eastern. they don't like the taliban, they're not friends with the taliban. they've been fighting the taliban. but more importantly, they'd been fight in the us and i bring up the point about the weapons because we just did the exact same thing and up dennis and left behind. unbelievable amount of us military equipment, massive amounts of weaponry and guns black hawk helicopters from these. we left it all there the same way that we did in iraq. so we could be creating a very similar problem of what we saw. 20142

isis has, for many years, beginning in iraq, even when it was not called isis, it essentially emergedarted its bombing campaign in the midst of chaos. now you have an afghan government that has collapsed in nine days, u.s. forces are all but gone. the taliban have not taken over. they are just putting down roots. they haven't announced a government. this is a transition period that is very chaotic. this is the opportunity that isis is always looking for to start operations. i suspect these operations will become more and more intense and frequent as time goes by. yes, if iraq and syria are places where the caliphate was dismantled, they are going to try elsewhere. this is a place where the u.s. forces have pulled out and there isn't any likelihood of the united states going back in in a big way. it may send tens of thousands of troops if the situation worsened, like they did in iraq in 2014, but they are not going to bring large amounts of troops into the country. and there isto begin with. this, from isis's point of view, is great and there is a lot of room where they can operate. th

where did the isis group from him? >> the isis group in afghanistan has been around 2015, 2015.iban, of course, has been around since the 1990s. >> what does isis-k want? >> so, they are a full-fledged isis affiliate. they think that they are working as the standard-bearers for muslims around the world, they think that the abu baghdadi is the lead. they want to unseat the taliban in the end. they want to raise the isis flag over afghanistan because they think their version of jihadism is the right one and the taliban's is the wrong one. so they're fighting the united states and taliban and the rest of the world. >> in simple terms is it isis-k thinks the taliban is who soft? >> yeah, in a way. isis has been persnickety about ideological questions. they've got a weird view of what it requires. they had a kumbaya attitude of can't all jihadists get along. so they think the taliban have forgotten major components of what islam requires and the main thing is having a kalif. they said that the leader was and they haven't emphasized that and the isis province thinks that's a killing o

brian, i didn't answer you earlier, it is isis-k. isis khorason.y tend to use the old islamic names for it. the same way isis is in the levant, refers to the area in the middle east where isis has a base, this is the isis branch that operating in the afghan region. but the taliban are already blaming this attack while they're condemning it, they're saying the only reason that it took place and the only reason there are about 60 afghans who lost their lives this afternoon in afghanistan is because the u.s. presence is there, because it is a magnet, because it is drawing in extremists and because it is drawing in afghans. the taliban commanders i spoke to were furious that those planes are still there. they say that afghans are going to the airport because those planes, they can see them taking off and landing, and that they are like a magnet. afghanistan is an extremely poor country. generally people are seeking asylum, and now when they have these train -- these planes all day long coming and going and there is this expectation, this rumor, these h

— by isis-k? that is a very difficult _ by isis-k? that is a very difficult question - by isis-k?o - by isis-k? that is a very i difficult question to answer and one which makes me feel quite frankly a little bit hopeless. as i said before, our military is very much inside the airport rather than outside. however, the director of the cia met with members of the taliban leadership a few days ago. my best guess is that we are trying to remedy the situation through intelligence channels. utilising the taliban to ensure safe passage of people to the airport. that is the biggest issue right now is not being able to get from one location to the airport. that is my best guess in terms of how this will be resolved. president biden has rejected calls from us allies to delay the withdrawal date for remaining american soldiers beyond the end of the month. with time running out for evacuation flights, there's a sense of panic setting in among those trying to leave the country. secunder kermani sent this report from kabul. shame on them! they've been through so much already. now wading through

it could be isis cable. we think there are, there are other elements plan the attacks and that might have perpetrated such attacks against us soldiers and was a terrorist attack on the watch of the taliban group that says we are able to provide security. and now in one day we see numerous terrorist attacks happening on the watch, unfortunate b international terrorism. and i've got us on as much stronger compared to 2001. this is something that the national resistance front of afghan is on, has been saying for the past year. we believe the international community should help our efforts to combat or national terrorism. and in 1900 the, to the international community, abandon the dentist, them. and we saw how afghanistan became a haven for terrorists groups. the same will happen if the international community abandoned that can. it's into 2021. there's no pose threat towards everyone. no one is exempt. and terrorism is after every state, whether it's part of the western world, or the eastern te, managed to spe

joe biden said the threat is from isis-k.here has been a warning that something might happen, and lo and behold, it happens like that. evacuations do have to continue. >> the united states has made it clear that if u.s. personnel have been killed or not, you have these 12 u.s. military members, 11 of them marines, one we are bees led to believe was a medic. this is the worst death toll for the americans since 2011 in afghanistan. but the pentagon has said it is expecting and has been expecting that there could be casualties. these marines were doing an honorable job trying to fairy as many afghans and american citizens out of the country as possible to escape before the deadline comes on august 31. i expect there will be a continuation of the process. the question is -- will the u.s. want to wind this down even quicker? because this is the worst case scenario for joe biden, exactly what he wanted to avoid. images of death and destruction which will lead to direct criticism of how he is handling this, whereas most u.s. can cit

how strong is isis-k in afghanistan? _ airport. how strong is isis-k in afghanistan?n afghanistan? look, as - airport. how strong is isis-k in afghanistan? look, as i i in afghanistan? look, asi noted, isis-k _ in afghanistan? look, asi noted, isis-k has - in afghanistan? look, asi noted, isis-k has been i in afghanistan? look, as i - noted, isis-k has been bearing noted, isis—k has been bearing the brunt of the us and afghan in the last few years but over the last 12 months the group has (audio breaks up). it has come up with a new strategy, it has positioned itself as a taliban rejected this movement. it is sought to rally these disillusioned constituencies, constituencies that don't like the taliban and moreover, they have engaged in successful jailbreak. they were able to free their prisoners from one jail in eastern afghanistan last august and then ten days, when the taliban took control of the country, parts of kabul, there was another jailbreak of the country, parts of kabul, there was anotherjailbreak in which thousands of isis prisoners fled. at this point my

strike against isis-k and isis-k planner. central command spokesman captain bill urban says u.s. military forces conducted an over the horizon counterterrorism operation today against an isis-k planner. the unmanned air strike occurred in afghanistan initial indications are that we killed the target. we know of no civilian casualties and again, that is a quote. that as we have more breaking news tonight on a new threat in afghanistan. the u.s. embassy in kabul just now again warning u.s. sitcitiz at a number of gates at that airport to leave immediately siting security threats. the alert advising u.s. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and avoid airport gates. that is hours after the president joe biden was warned by his national security team another attack in kabul is likely, not just possible, but likely. white house official telling cnn quote the next few days of this mission will be the most dangerous period to date. the president saying this. >> look, the mission there in the form is dangerous and it is now come with significant loss of american personnel and it's a

isis k and the isis of shoot guns. pardon is claimed responsibility for these attacks. of course sun, which is a regional affiliate of isis house claim responsibility for the atrocity ahead of the blast. the u. k. u. s. and other western nations have been warning their nationals about the threat of a severe terrorist attack happening, advising them to avoid the airport. we spoke to ali hassan who was near the airport when the 1st explosion occurred to dave into the airport of cobbled i was in standing. and if it was near to the get you and they used to sort of like 5 minutes away, i just saw there was like 4 to 5 minutes they had and they had to run. there was looking look dash, the c p will renew the duration problem. the difference of the type of the type of glued to the waiting. guess we're looking, we're suspicious. they didn't have guns. what they was looking for the airport. they was looking to be used troops. i will 100 them i. when they get back to the line, i was with the people like after 12 or 2 minutes an e

did isis-k and fit into the bigger isis picture? isis-k has been an official _ bigger isis picture?official branch - bigger isis picture? isis-k has been an official branch of- bigger isis picture? isis-k has been an official branch of isis| been an official branch of isis since 2015 even though isis has been degraded and lost their caliphate, isis—k has remained one of the most active and viable branches of that broader isis family said they have conducted a series of high impact in spectacular lethal attacks across afghanistan so this is a group that needs to be taken very seriously and based on the recent statements by members of the administration, it would appear that there were some form of intelligence or other kind of information suggesting that units of fighters aligned with isis—k are thinking about all planning to conduct an attack and so that is another reason why this withdrawal from the united states seems to be accelerated.— united states seems to be accelerated. ., . ., accelerated. how much do we have adequate's _ accelerated. how much do we have adequate's make-up

specifically isis k or isis correson. and will likely continue to try and launch more attacks, adding that others have already been forwarded by security forces and campbell, the general went on to say the attack involved to suicide bombers detonating explosives outside the abbey date of the airport and nearby hotel. the hotel, followed by isis gunman, opening fire on civilians, men, women, and children, along with us troops and military personnel. there are warnings about to attack and it's certainly raises more serious questions about americans evacuation efforts. why it has become so incredibly catastrophic and also pass comments from president, bite himself about america's effort in afghanistan and the war on terror was in this mission to degrade the chairs tread about cod in afghanistan and kilo summer been live was a success. i believed that our presence in that gas dance should be focused on the reason we went, the 1st place to ensure afghan a stand would not be used as a base from which to attack our homeland agai

isis claims everything, isis will claim it. isis claims everything and they will keep doing this until we leave and afterwards they have free reign on 10,000 plus american citizens and our allies. this is horrific and it will not end good. america still needs to act in the white house needs to act, they need to help the refugees we already got out. the state department has been absent in helping these refugees. jillian: good luck wherever you are and thanks for your service. >> thank you so much. jillian: 22 after the hour, us troops deployed to afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks, 20 years later many feel the troop withdrawal he raced every progress made. a 9/11 survivor shares his thoughts next. jillian: flags that us capital flying at half staff on the lives of 13 brave servicemembers and others who died at the terror attack on kabul airport. the 20 year war ends with more. and the taliban is back in power. tim, thank you for being here, tell me where you were and what you saw. >> real briefly, as opposed to talking about mys

it is not going to work with isis or isis-k as they're called in this connect.recognize, you know, in a sense americans have gotten used to this not really being a high-end war but on the way out it's become more like a war again and there may be more casualties there may be more. and that's -- we've got to get a little back into the wartime mentality for a little bit longer because ironically, deciding to leave this war has actually increased a feeling of the war and increased the risks to our military personnel. i disagree fundamentally with president biden on the decision to leave, but there is no doubt that, you know, in a few weeks or months we will have less risk to our personnel because of this decision right know we've got more and that will continue regardless of when we're getting out. >> the taliban doesn't have to fight to take back afghanistan they just paid off leaders and went in without a fight. will they fight isis-k, though >> that's a great question i have to say i'm gratified. maybe they are showing more of a moderate side. on isis-k, they se

the isis attack that killed u.s. service members and so many afghan civilians at the kabul airport yesterday. we're also watching a large hurricane bearing down on the gulf coast and new orleans specifically. hurricane ida will be a huge deal over the course of this weekend. you need to keep an eye on it. we're hoping the track turns and that it doesn't end up on the track it looks like it's on tonight. keep your eyes on that. if you're in the path of potential hurricane ida, please, please pay attention to local evacuation warnings and forecasts. heed these warnings, this is a big storm. >>> that's going to do it for us for now. it's time for "the last word." jonathan capehart is in for lawrence tonight. it's a big night already, jonathan. >> it is, you covered a lot of big news. i have to say, i couldn't get ready for tonight's show for the first 30 minutes of your show, listening to you break down the people not trusting the cdc but fully taking recommendations from facebook to take -- what is it, ivermectin? >> i

i them notice their air strikes against isis?— them notice their air strikes against isis?ar — you is that the president has made it very clear that we will maintain robust _ it very clear that we will maintain robust over— it very clear that we will maintain robust over the horizon counterterrorism capability, the kind of— counterterrorism capability, the kind of capabilities you have seen is using _ kind of capabilities you have seen is using just the last 2436 hrs and will have — is using just the last 2436 hrs and will have the ability to act in ways in keeping — will have the ability to act in ways in keeping with our national security— in keeping with our national security interest and help prevent attacks _ security interest and help prevent attacks on — security interest and help prevent attacks on the homeland. we still have that — attacks on the homeland. we still have that capability and will use that capability. reporter: ., , ., reporter: what is not hypothetical is the fact the _ reporter: what is not hypothetical is the fact the us _ reporter: what is not hyp

isis doesn't believe in a political agenda. isis believes that only god could rule.blish an islamic emirate, that is not enough for isis. they are a bit more hard core. >> reporter: so hard core, according to analyst collin clark, that isis-k is thought to be even more draconian than the taliban. in areas that they control, they impose harsh sarria law and kill others that they suspect are spies. >> they're calling card is this repacious and wanton violence against anybody that stands in their way. that helps them bring other fighter news the organization that have a similar mindset. >> reporter: some of the fighters have been sprung from afghan prisons. they have carried out several suicide bombing attacks in afghanistan in several years including on an attack on a school for girls in the spring that killed 68 people, most of them girls. another threat from isis-k that analysts are watching for. >> they could wreak half acorn the airport, that is a great concern. >> reporter: is isis-k a threat to over throw the taliban. the terrorism experts we spoke to don't think

they are an enemy of isis. isis operated very differently.is not the first isis attack in afghanistan. isis always operated differently than the taliban. isis killed civilians and they did these mass casualty attacks where they would go after a hospital or a marketplace. the taliban, many attacks they carried out did also kill civilians were primarily focused on fighting and killing americans and other foreign troops. >> and you've just been hearing, and your big take away from the briefing today. >> i think the big headline was the fact there was only one suicide bombing yesterday after being briefed many times yesterday that there were two. we also know that there was this extensive fire fight afterwards, as well. that was the big takeaway and people are asking why did it take almost 24 hours for that to come out. the early reports on these situations tend to be cloudy and end up being wrong in a lot of cases. that was one big thing. we also know the evacuation flight is continuing and we don't have a reason to believe that the deadline of

what we know about isis-k. that's next on "the five." >> when the president says, we will hunt you down and make you pay. what does that look like. is he satisfied with they're captured and brought to trial. >> i think he made it clear yesterday, he doesn't want them living on the earth anymore. >> -- nearly 200 afghans. president biden, being warned today just to expect another terrorist attack by the group. for more let's go to jennifer griffin at the pentagon. jennifer, how are you. >> good evening, richard. tonight thousands are on edge as they evacuate thousands of afghans on the tarmac. approximately five thousand were there today. new video of the attack shows the devastation outside of abbey gape. one suicide bomber truck and then opened fire. the pentagon has blamed isis-k. but won't blame the taliban who still need to provide airport security. >> how many isis-k prisoners were left and believed to have been released from the prison? why were they not removed when the u.s. pulled out? >> i don't know t

isis now claiming responsibility the nightmare scenario amid the chaotic rush to withdraw by august 31st the top u.s. general there saying he expects the attacks to continue, calling the threat from isis extremely real, but vowing the evacuation will go on the president tonight speaking out >> we will hunt you down and make you pay. >>> our exclusive interview with the capitol police officer who shot and killed rioter ashli babbitt on january 6th the officer telling us why he's choosing to come forward now and reveal his identity. his harrowing account. why he opened fire, and the threats he now faces. >> given the nature of the threats that you describe, do you have any concern about showing your face and identifying yourself >> of course i do. >>> the disturbing covid milestone. 100,000 americans hospitalized we're in florida, one of the states now an epicenter. >>> dangerous heat still gripping much of the country and the new tropical threat taking aim al roker is here >>> and inspiring lessons from a young man now fulfilling his olympic dreams >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news"

was there any other damage to isis infrastructure? >> as i think the general said right at the top, we're going to be loathe to release a lot of tactical level bda detail here. we want to preserve as much flegs flexibility as we can. i hope you can understand that we're just not going to be able to answer a lot of that detailed stuff right now. >> and just to follow up, how -- what are you doing about the isis-k cells in kabul itself? clearly, these attacks are coming from kabul. it's possible the terrorists have gone underground. obviously, you can't target the city itself with air strikes right now. >> what i would tell you is we're watching the threats team very closely. laura, clearly, they have the ability to operate inside kabul. we're mindful of that, and we're watching it as closely as we can. we're obviously trying to make sure that we have available to us as much information and context as possible so as to prepare for any future attacks. certainly, we have to assume that could come from or be planned out of or sourced out o

isis. k is isis of shoot guns, pardon claimed responsibility for these attack. islamic states court assigned to regional affiliate devices has claimed responsibility for the attack ahead of the blast, the u. k. u. s. and other western nations been warning the national is about the threat of a severe terrorist attack and advised them to avoid the airport. we spoke with our son and he was in cobb lab port when the 1st explosion occurred today into the airport of cobbled i was in the standing and if it was near to the gets here and they used to. so it's very close to us like 5 minutes away. i just thought there was like 4 to 5 minutes they had and they had told when they was looking look dash c p will renew, desertion, parliament, a difference of them? the type of type of good they're waiting. we're looking, we're suspicious. they didn't have guns. what they was looking for the airport, they was looking to be used to 100 the mentors when they get back to them to my line. when they get back to

isis-k, an off-chute of isis proper, what more can you tell us about the group? the aims?he capabilities? >> well, michael, as you mention there, theis is a group that emerged in afghanistan back in 2014-'15 as an affiliate of what was the islamic or the so-called islamic state in iraq and syria. isis now. they're -- they have been considered a major threat by u.s. officials for a few years now. they have been the target of military operations, counterterrorism operations in the country. as you mentioned, their presence there was mainly focused in the eastern regions of afghanistan. but it also has cells in and around kabul and in other areas. when it comes to how many members the group has, there are all sorts of estimates. anywhere between 1,000 to 1,500 up to 2,000. but what has been really concerning for u.s. officials in recent days and recent weeks, michael, as we saw the taliban sweep across the country. there were several major prison breaks where hundreds of isis-k members are believed to have been broken out of these prisons that have also bolstered the -- the gr

frankly isis doesn't believe in a political agenda. isis believes that only god can rule.slamic emirate, that's not enough for isis. >> so hard core according to analyst collin clark, isis-k is thought to be more draconian than the taliban. in areas they control, they impose harsh sharia law. >> they want to recruit the most ardent sociopaths in the country. their calling card is this rapacious and wanton violence against anyone that stands in their way. that actually helps them bring in other fighters into the organization that have a similar mindset. >> some of those fighters have been sprung from of gan prisons. isis-k has carried out several devastating suicide bombing attacks in afghanistan in recent years, including an attack on a school for girls this spring which, according to a pentagon assessment, killed at least 68 people, most of them girls. another threat from isis-k that analysts are watching for tonight -- >> they could wreak havoc around the airport by taking a shot at some of the aircraft taking off from and landing at hamid karzai international airport. >

isis. k is isis of shoot guns. pardon claimed responsibility for these attack islamic states for a son, which is a regional affiliate devices, has kind responsibility for the atrocity head of the blast. the u. k. u. s. and other western nations have been warning nationals about the threats of a severe terror attack. and advising them to avoid the court. we spoke with ali hassan who was in the airport when the 1st explosion occurred today into the airport of i was standing on to get i will need to get used to. so i was very close to like 5 minutes away. i just saw there was like 45 minutes. they had and they had to run. there was looking look danish people renewed the duration parliament, a difference of them. the type of the type of groups waiting. guess we're looking were suspicious, they didn't have guns. what they was looking for the airport. they was looking to be used troops. they will, i will 100 the mentors when they get back to my lined i, when they get back to the line, i was with

so isis-k is isis khorasan. khorasan refers to an area of central asia. this is the afghan affiliate of the islamic state. it has not attracted the kind of international attention that so-called main isis in syria and iraq has captured. the trump administration did drop a massive ordinance bomb, a bomb that is basically just one level below a nuclear weapon, on this group's facilities in afghanistan a couple of years ago. there were questions at the time to what extent the use of that bomb was actually a legitimate battlefield tactic and to what extent the trump administration was just trying to make a show. but isis-k has been around for a number of years. we are used to referring to the taliban as an extremist group. they are. these isis members are far more extreme than the taliban. and, as you say, they are looking to make a splash. they are looking not only to harm americans on the way out of the country, but they are also looking to embarrass this new taliban regime, who they see, if you can believe it, as sort of collaborators with the united state