Attack on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan ‘highly likely in the next 24-36 hours’: Biden

United States President Joe Biden says military commanders have informed him that an attack on soldiers still stationed in Afghanistan is “highly likely” within the next 24 to 36 hours.

The news comes as America’s military begins its final pullout, following a deadly U.S. airstrike aimed at terrorist group ISIS-K that reportedly struck Afghanistan on Friday night.

“I directed them to take every possible measure to prioritize force protection, and ensured that they have all the authorities, resources and plans to protect our men and women on the ground,” Biden said in a White House statement posted online Saturday.

“They assured me that they did, and that they could take these measures while completing the mission and safely retrograding our personnel.”

Acting swiftly on Biden’s promise to retaliate for a deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport, the U.S. military said it used a drone strike to kill two members of the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate on Friday night.

The suicide bombing killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members on Thursday — the same day Canada announced it would officially end its evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, despite promises from Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau that the federal government would evacuate at-risk Afghans and residents who had helped Canada’s military intervention.

Canada’s Department of National Defence confirmed its forces had evacuated roughly 3,700 people from Afghanistan before ending its airborne missions.

“I said we would go after the group responsible for the attack on our troops and innocent civilians in Kabul, and we have,” Biden said.

“This strike was not the last. We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay.”

The U.S. flew out another 6,800 people on Friday, Biden said, bringing the total number of people evacuated from Afghanistan to 117,000 since Aug. 14.

The U.S. is expected to withdraw all of its remaining 2,500 to 3,000 troops from Afghanistan by Aug. 31, ending America’s longest war that has spanned two decades.

Biden has faced fierce criticism for the move, which he announced earlier in April.

More to come. 

— With files from the Associated Press

by Global News