A drone has destroyed a vehicle which was carrying “a substantial amount of explosive material” and heading to Kabul airport, US officials have confirmed.
A military official said the strike on Sunday caused “significant secondary explosions”.
He added: “US military forces conducted a self-defence unmanned over-the-horizon airstrike today on a vehicle in Kabul, eliminating an imminent ISIS-K threat to Hamad Karzai International airport.
“We are confident we successfully hit the target.
“We are assessing the possibilities of civilian casualties, though we have no indications at this time. We remain vigilant for potential future threats.”
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Dozens of people were killed in Thursday’s explosions
This is the second airstrike the US has conducted against the militant group, which said it carried out Thursday’s suicide bombing that killed 13 of its service members and scores of Afghans.
There have also been reports of an explosion at a house near the airport in Afghanistan‘s capital, but it is not clear if this was related to the drone strike.
The incidents come shortly after Joe Biden warned that another terror attack at Kabul airport is “highly likely in the next 24-36 hours” – and vowed further US airstrikes against ISIS-K targets.
Meanwhile, the US is winding down its historic airlift that saw tens of thousands evacuated from Kabul’s international airport, the scene of much of the chaos that engulfed the Afghan capital since the Taliban took over two weeks ago.
Military cargo planes continued their runs into the airport on Sunday, ahead of a Tuesday deadline earlier set by President Joe Biden to withdraw all troops from America’s longest war.
However, Afghans remaining in the country worry about the Taliban reverting to their earlier oppressive rule.