The Kabul bomb blasts have claimed the lives of two British nationals and the child of another British national, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has confirmed
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Two British adults and the child of a British national were among those killed in the Kabul airport attack.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab confirmed the tragic deaths in the aftermath of the devastating bombing in Afghanistan’s capital.
It is understood the child who died was a teenager, while those injured are an adult British national and an Afghan child with a British family, according to the PA news agency.
The foreign secretary branded the terror attackers behind the atrocity “cowardly” and labelled their actions “despicable.”
Mr Raab said in a statement: “I was deeply saddened to learn that two British nationals and the child of another British national were killed by yesterday’s terror attack, with two more injured.”
“These were innocent people and it is a tragedy that as they sought to bring their loved ones to safety in the UK they were murdered by cowardly terrorists.
“Yesterday’s despicable attack underlines the dangers facing those in Afghanistan and reinforces why we are doing all we can to get people out. We are offering consular support to their families.
The deadly attack was carried out by a single suicide bomber at a gate to the airport and there was no second explosion at a nearby hotel as had been initially reported, the Pentagon said of the ‘complex’ attack on Friday.
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Mr Raab continued: “We will not turn our backs on those who look to us in their hour of need, and we will never be cowed by terrorists.”
The foreign secretary did not reveal the victims’ identities.
As well as the British casualties, officials have said at least 13 US troops and 60 Afghan nationals were killed – and more than 150 people were injured – in a “complex attack” on Thursday.
Suicide bombers struck the capital as US, UK and other foreign forces rushed to evacuate desperate Afghans.
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The Kabul airport attack was claimed by Islamic State militants.
The ISIS Afghan affiliate, ISIS-Khorosan (ISK) has emerged as an enemy of both the West and of the Taliban.
One blast killed scores of people including US troops and Taliban guards outside Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Children were among the dead and wounded.
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Taliban guards were also killed in the blast, which targeted the crowds fleeing the hardline Islamist group’s rule after it took the city two weeks ago.
The devastation comes as a deadline for foreign forces to withdraw troops looms.
The US and UK forces are due out by August 31.
Taliban authorities have already ordered Afghan nationals to stop travelling to Kabul’s airport.
Under pressure US President Joe Biden last night launched an emotional defence standing behind his decision to withdraw troops, as he hailed the US servicepeople killed in the attack as ‘heroes’.
He told Americans it was time for the 20-year war in Afghanistan to finally come to an end.
However, both Boris Johnson and Mr Biden have vowed to continue the evacuation effort in Afghanistan despite the attack.
Pentagon officials told reporters that it is now believed there was no attack at the Baron’s Hotel, where processing was taking place.
He said that the US military report circulated widely on Thursday was incorrect and attributed the mistake to confusion in the aftermath of the violence.
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warned that the threat from terror groups will only “grow the closer we get to leaving” following the attack.
Despite airlifting nearly 14,000 people out of Afghanistan in the past two weeks, Mr Wallace said “the sad fact is not every single one will get out”.