The Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan, known as The Islamic State-Khorasan Province after a name for the region from antiquity, claimed that it targeted American troops and their Afghan allies. The statement carried a photo of what the militant group said was the bomber who carried out the attack. The image shows the alleged attacker standing with the explosive belt in front of the black IS flag with a black cloth covering his face, only his eyes showing.

The statement made no mention of a second suicide bomber or gunmen. The claim could not be independently verified. IS also said the bomber managed to get past Taliban security checkpoints to come within 5 metres (yards) of a gathering of US soldiers, translators and collaborators before detonating his explosives. The extremist IS group has battled the Taliban, which it views as traitors for agreeing to a peace deal with the United States.

At least 28 members of the Taliban were among the people killed in explosions overnight outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, a Taliban official told on Friday. “We have lost more people than the Americans,” said the official, who declined to be identified. He said there was no reason to extend the Aug. 31 deadline for foreign forces to leave the country.

US President Joe Biden pledged Thursday to hunt down the perpetrators of the suicide bombings that killed 12 American troops in Kabul. “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,” Biden said.