The U.S. is continuing to evacuate from Kabul.

Those at the Abiby gates, East, North or Interior Ministry must leave immediately, in the embassy statement. The death toll rose to 169 Afghans and 13 members of the American service, making Thursday's attack one of the deadliest attacks since US-led forces entered Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago. The White House and the Pentagon warned that there may be more bloodshed before Tuesday's deadline to end air transport and withdrawal of American forces. The coming days “will be our most dangerous period so far” in evacuation, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

Thursday's explosion - which was blamed on the branch of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, an enemy of the Taliban and the West - marked one of the deadliest terrorist attacks the country has seen. The US said it was the deadliest day for American forces in Afghanistan since 2011. Worldwide, newly deployed Afghan evacuees, many with babies and a small fraction of their items in plastic bags arrived in the United States, Albania, Belgium and beyond.

In Kabul on Friday, Afghan families sought out loved ones among the bodies of blast victims, located along the hospital sidewalk for identification, who died praying for a seat in US-run air evacuations. As Friday's prayers echoed through the city, along with the noises of the launching aircraft, concerned crowds gathered at the airport, hoping to escape the Taliban's rule were larger than ever, despite scenes of blast victims. Afghans, American citizens, and other foreigners were all aware that opportunities to exit via air transport are decreasing. Jamshad went to the airport with his wife and three young children. He provided an invitation to leave in a Western country that will not identify him.

After the explosion I decided to try. Because I'm afraid there's going to be more attacks now and I think I have to leave”, said Jamshad, who like many Afghans uses only one name. The Pentagon said on Friday there was only one suicide attacker at the airport gate not two, as US officials originally said. Officials who gave the number of Afghan victims were not authorized to speak to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity. Afghan victims included the founder of a news agency along with a number of poor Afghans who had gone to the airport in hopes of achieving a better life.

Details on American victims also began to emerge, ahead of publishing their names from Pentagon 11 Marines, a Navy sailor and an infantry soldier. It includes a young Marine from Wyoming who was expecting to become a father and who was on his first tour of office in Afghanistan. British officials said two citizens and the child of another Briton were also among those killed when bombs broke out in the crowd. In the morning after the attack, the Taliban used a truck full of warriors and three Humvees to set up a 500m barrier from the airport, keeping crowds farther from American troops than before. US military officials said several gates were closed and other security measures were imposed. They said there were stricter restrictions on Taliban checkpoints and fewer people around the gates.

The military said it had also asked the Taliban to close specific roads due to the possibility of suicide attacks by vehicles. The Pentagon noted that the airport already had protection against missile attacks and said the US would continue flights directed and piloting over the airport for surveillance and protection, including the use of AC-130 fighter aircraft. American officials said evacuations with the right credentials were still being allowed through the gates. Inside, about 5,400 evacuated waited for flights. In Washington, American commanders informed President Biden of the development of plans to hit the Islamic State and fulfill the president's pledge to the attackers to find “and make them pay”. President Biden stated that the US's attempt to evacuate Americans, Afghan allies and others most endangered by Taliban was a well-deserved “commission”.

And we will complete the mission,” he said. The United Nations Security Council called targeting displaced civilians and those who try to help them “particularly hated”. The Taliban have regained control of Afghanistan two decades after being ousted by an intervention led by the United States following the 11 September attacks. Their return to power has terrified many Afghans, who have rushed out of the country before the American pull. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated safely through Kabul airport, according to the U.S.A., but thousands of others are trying to flee to one of the biggest evacuation events in history. / VOA