The US Embassy in Kabul just sent an alert saying, “US citizens who are at the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate now should leave immediately” in the wake of a blast at the Hamid Karzai International Airport Thursday.
“There has been a large explosion at the airport, and there are reports of gunfire,” the security alert said.
“U.S. citizens should avoid traveling to the airport and avoid airport gates at this time,” it added.
Read the full alert below:
Event: EXPLOSION AT THE ABBEY GATE OF KABUL AIRPORT, REPORTS OF GUNFIRE
There has been a large explosion at the airport, and there are reports of gunfire.
U.S. citizens should avoid traveling to the airport and avoid airport gates at this time.
U.S. citizens who are at the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate now should leave immediately.
Actions to take:
- Be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially in large crowds.
- Follow the instructions of local authorities including movement restrictions related to curfews.
- Have a contingency plan for emergencies and review the Traveler’s Checklist.
- Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program(STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.