At least 13 US service members killed in Kabul airport attack

Vice President Kamala Harris called the 13 American service members killed in Afghanistan today “heroes” who died saving countless lives, in a statement released Thursday night. 

“Doug and I grieve for the Americans we lost, we pray for the Americans injured in the attack, and our hearts go out to their loved ones. We also grieve for the Afghan civilians killed and injured,” Harris wrote in the statement which was released shortly after she arrived in Hawaii for an event with US troops.

“Our country is grateful to all our women and men in uniform, and in particular, those working today to get Americans and our Afghan partners out of harm’s way. And we will complete that mission,” she continued. 

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned the attacks in Afghanistan in a tweet Friday local time, adding that all Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and personnel are safe.

"Deeply saddened by the deaths of US military personnel and Afghans in the horrific terrorist attacks in Kabul. We mourn your tragic loss," Morrison tweeted. "Australia condemns these heinous and barbaric attacks," the prime minister added. "All our brave ADF and Australian personnel are safe."

Journalist and author Matthieu Aikins reported to the scene following the deadly events at Kabul international airport Thursday that killed more than 60 Afghans and 13 US service members.

Aikins said he's been traveling to the airport daily since the fall of Kabul and sadly wasn't entirely surprised by the latest incident.

"We could hear shooting and sirens from the airport. At that point, we went back to the emergency hospital, and they were bringing the casualties in there. There was just body after body. It was a really terrible sight," Aikins said. "You have tens of thousands of people cramming in from every angle at the same time, this desperate pressure to get the American citizens and others out. So it was really truly a recipe for disaster."

Watch the interview:

About 7,500 people were evacuated from Kabul over the course of 12 hours on Thursday, the White House said. 

CNN first reported on the attack outside the airport in Kabul at 9:40 a.m. ET. It’s unclear how many of these 7,500 evacuations took place after the attack.

Ten Marines were killed in the attack at Kabul international airport and several more were wounded, Marine Corps spokesperson Maj. Jim Stenger said in a statement Thursday evening. 

Earlier Thursday: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday issued his own statement, saying, "This is a solemn day for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps team. Those warriors who died gave their lives to save thousands of men, women and children, Americans and Afghans alike."

An additional US service member has died as a result of the attack at the Kabul airport Thursday, according to a statement from US Central Command.

A total of 13 US service members were killed Thursday and the total number injured is now 18, said Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesperson for CENTCOM.

Urban said the injured are in the process of being evacuated from Afghanistan.

"Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the injured and to the friends and family of those who were killed," he added.

The White House responded to Republicans calling on President Biden to resign in the wake of recent bombings in Kabul, telling reporters “it’s not a day for politics.”

Three Southern California families who became stranded in Afghanistan while visiting relatives over the summer have made it safely out of while five others remain stuck as chaos continues to unfold around the nation’s main airport.

Two families departed Afghanistan Thursday, according to Howard Shen, spokesperson for the Cajon Valley Union School District, near San Diego. A third family had also departed and returned to the US on Wednesday, he said. 

Shen estimated that five additional families from the school district, consisting of 14 students and eight parents, are still in Afghanistan. The figure marked an increase from Wednesday when Shen believed that a total of six CVUSD families were in Afghanistan, noting that information is fluid and constantly evolving. He said the district is working with California Rep. Darrell Issa’s office, and other national security officials to assist the families with a safe exit. 

The departures come as deadly explosions rocked the area outside Kabul’s airport on Thursday as the US and other Western countries raced to complete a massive evacuation of their citizens and Afghan allies following the Taliban takeover of the country. 

President Biden on Thursday vowed to continue evacuations despite the terror attack.

The Cajon Valley Union School District, which is home to a very large immigrant and refugee population, mostly from Afghanistan and Iraq, will be offering counseling support to all students in need in the wake of recent events.

“Cajon Valley Union School District Community and Staff wait with open arms for the safe return of all of our families,” Shen said in a statement.

Shen on Wednesday said he believed that six CVUSD families were in Afghanistan, noting that the information is fluid and constantly evolving.

A total of 13,146 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since the operation began on Aug. 13, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said on Thursday.

In a statement, the FCDO said the military operation — called Operation Pitting — has seen more than 1,000 members of the UK armed forces deployed to Kabul to assist in the evacuations.

This includes embassy staff, British nationals, those eligible under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) program and a number of nationals from partner nations, the statement said.