Back-to-back explosions have been reported near Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport as the United States works rapidly to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies from Afghanistan before a withdrawal deadline of Aug. 31. Twelve U.S. service members were killed Thursday at the Kabul airport after a bombing and gun attack from the terrorist organization ISIS-K, the Pentagon said at a news conference Thursday afternoon. 

"A number of others are being treated for wounds. We also know that a number of Afghans fell victim to this heinous attack,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. Defense officials have been alarmed by threats at Hamid Karzai International Airport by a terrorist group called ISIS-K, or  sworn enemies of the Taliban. One official deemed the threat from a suicide bomber to be the chief concern for Afghans and U.S. citizens crowding the gates to the airport, and U.S. troops guarding it.

The evacuation effort reflects increased pressure on U.S. officials since the Taliban said they would not extend the deadline. At least 95,700 people have been evacuated so far. Military and commercial flights evacuated about 13,400 people Wednesday, a decline from the past three days. About 1,500 Americans remain in Afghanistan. U.S. officials have contacted 500 of them and are "aggressively" trying to reach the others. Afghans who aided the American war effort will engage in a life-or-death struggle as they and their families try to secure seats on one of the last flights out.

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