Biden news: Psaki shuts down GOP impeachment threat as Israel PM extends ‘condolences and deep sadness’
White House and Pentagon provide updates on response to Kabul attack as hundreds continue to be evacuated from Afghanistan
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Following a suicide bombing at Kabul airport that left 13 American service members dead and 18 wounded, among dozens of others killed, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett extended “condolences and deep sadness for the loss of American lives” during a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday.
After pledging to “hunt down” those responsible for the attack, the president was briefed by military officials on Friday on the likelihood of “another terror attack” and the “maximum force protection measures” underway at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Military officials also updated the president and vice president “on plans to develop Isis-K targets,” according to statement from White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
“The next few days of this mission will be the most dangerous period to date,” the statement said.
Injured US service members have been transported to the US Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
Isis-K, a sworn enemy of the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ms Psaki told reporters on Friday that the president has made clear “that he does not want them to live on earth anymore.”
A number of Republican lawmakers have called on the president to resign over the ongoing crisis. GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy said there will be “day of reckoning.”
Ms Psaki dismissed calls from GOP lawmakers, adding that “the backdrop” of their calls “is the men and women of the US military deployed on the ground are bravely continuing to implement a mission to save lives on the ground.”
“Yesterday they lost 13 of their own and the president made absolutely clear that we’re going to hunt down, go after and kill the terrorists who are responsible,” she said. “Everyone should be supportive of that.”
US military officials have stressed that the attack has not stopped evacuations, which will continue until the end of the month as planned. US forces have evacuated roughly 12,500 people over a 24-hour period into early Friday morning, according to the White House. Since the end of July, the US has relocated approximately 110,600 people, the White House said on Friday.
Follow live updates as they happenened
A13th US serviceman has died, reports say
An additional US serviceman has died following the bomb attack at Kabul airport, says CBS News.
Earlier officials had said that 12 service members had died and 15 were wounded by the attack, which has been claimed by ISIS-K.
US death toll in Kabul airport blast rises to 13, officials say
US officials have confirmed the deaths of 13 US service members after two ISIS-K suicide bomb attacks on Kabul airport.
A series of blasts in the country’s capital also injured 18 US troops providing support for the evacuations of US personnel and Afghan citizens from Hamid Karzai International Airport.
John Bowden has the story.
Kabul airport explosion kills 13 US service members, US officials say
Death toll rises after multiple explosions reported in Kabul
White House updates Kabul evacuation figures
The US says that since 14 August it has evacuated around 100,100 people, and since the end of July has re-located 105,700 people.
LAPD pays tribute to US troops killed in Kabul blast
“With a heavy heart & profound grief, we recognize the sacrifice of our service members who lost their lives in Afghanistan today as well as the tremendous loss of innocent lives. The loss is tragic but the heroic efforts to evacuate fellow Americans & allies will not be forgotten,” the department tweeted.
Representative Asam Kinzinger hits out at Trump Afghan deal
The lawmaker, who is an Afghanistan veteran, told CNN that much of the issues being faced in Kabul are down to the one-term president.
“Donald Trump set up a deal that would make Neville Chamberlain blush,” he said during an appearance on CNN.
ICYMI: Why did US leave Afghanistan and how much did America spend?
How did it come to this in Afghanistan?
We’ve got all the context you need here to understand the current situation in the country, from the military resources poured into the Afghan campaign to the reasons why the US eventually decided to abandon it.
Why did US leave Afghanistan and how much did America spend?
The war cost trillions of dollars and left more than 100,000 dead
MSNBC analyst Malcolm Nance slammed after tweeting ‘deal with it’ about Kabul explosions
Joe Biden isn’t the only one under scrutiny for his reactions to the Afghanistan crisis.
Terrorism and intelligence media pundit Malcolm Nance has been criticised after writing on Twitter that “there have been terrorist suicide bombers killing civilians nearly DAILY in Afghanistan” for 20 years.
“This ain’t new. It’s why we are leaving” he wrote, adding the hashtag: “Deal with it.” Gustaf Kilander has the story here.
MSNBC analyst slammed after tweeting ‘deal with it’ about Kabul explosions
‘This ain’t new. It’s why we are leaving – deal with it’
Kabul attack ‘deadliest day for US military’ since August 2011
The double-strike attack at Kabul airport that killed up 60 people including a dozen American troops is believed to represent the deadliest single day for the US military in 10 years.
As Isis claimed responsibility for the attack, involving two explosions at the airport where crowds were thronging to try and leave the country, the US military said it would not be deterred by the assault.
The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe has the details here.
Kabul attack ‘deadliest day for US military’ since August 2011
President Joe Biden wanted to end the sacrifice of American troops
Kevin McCarthy tells Republicans Biden will face a ‘reckoning’ for the handling of Afghanistan exit
Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, on Thursday vowed Joe Biden will face a “reckoning” for his handling of the US exit from Afghanistan.
He, however, didn’t call for Mr Biden’s resignation or impeachment as some Republican leaders did, according to sources quoted by news channel CNN.
Mr McCarthy told Republicans he spoke with Mr Biden earlier in the day on Thursday and said the focus right now needs to be on getting Americans out of Afghanistan safely.
He mentioned that any calls for Mr Biden’s resignation would be counterproductive. He told the members on the call: “We are going to hold every single person accountable.”
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said “it’s not a day for politics” when pressed about Republican calls for Mr Biden’s resignation.
WATCH: Biden vows to ‘hunt down’ US enemies after suicide bombers kill US servicemen in Kabul
President Joe Biden vowed during a White House address on Thursday to exact revenge after a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport killed 13 US military personnel. Watch his comments below.
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