Rocket attack targets Kabul airport

By Nathan Morley

Rockets have been fired towards Kabul International Airport where the US evacuation operation is drawing to a close.

Reports suggest around five rockets flew over Kabul, the Afghan branch of Islamic State (IS) says it was behind the attack.

Eyewitnesses said the rockets were launched from a car towards the airfield, but were stopped before reaching their target.

President Biden has been informed about the attack, and a White House spokesman said the incident would not interrupt the US departure from Afghanistan.

The US military carried out a drone strike to stop a suicide bomber targeting Kabul airport on Sunday.

US forces now have just over 24-hours to meet their deadline to quit the country.

Meanwhile, the UN's High Commissioner for Refugees has said the ending of evacuations marks the beginning of a much larger migration crisis.

At the same time, the Regional Director for UNICEF South Asia, George Laryea-Adjei, has said children have paid the heaviest price in recent weeks of increased conflict and insecurity.

Not only have some been forced from their homes, and cut off from their schools and friends, they have also been deprived of basic healthcare that can protect them against polio, tetanus and other diseases.

According to UNICEF, more than 18 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Some four million children are not in school. On top of that, around 400,000 people have left their homes to seek refuge, more than half of whom are children.