Volunteers and medical staff bring an injured man on a stretcher to a hospital in Kabul for treatment. AFP

Gulf Today Report 

Western forces running the Afghan airlift braced on Saturday for more attacks after the United States launched a drone strike, apparently killing a Daesh "planner", two days after the group claimed a deadly bombing outside Kabul airport.

Some media reported the death toll in Thursday's suicide bombing rose to 170 Afghans, a number that could increase as authorities examine fragmented remains, and 13 US service members.

Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack outside Kabul airport on Thursday, the group's Amaq News Agency said on its Telegram channel.

The Pentagon said that at least 13 US soldiers were killed in the suicide attack. 

According to media reports, one of the bombers struck people standing knee-deep in a wastewater canal under the sweltering sun, throwing bodies into the fetid water.

Those who moments earlier had hoped to get on flights out could be seen carrying the wounded to ambulances in a daze, their own clothes darkened with blood.

Smoke billows from the explosion site in Kabul.

The Pentagon also said that the explosion outside Kabul airport caused casualties, but numbers are unclear.

A local media reported, “Firefights and IED explosions are happening just outside the Kabul airport gates. Service members are attempting to gain control of a dangerous situation.”

Three US officials said that the explosion near Kabul airport’s entry gate appeared to be a suicide attack.  

US officials said that it is likely that marines have been injured in the attack.

US media said that President Joe Biden was in the Situation Room with national security officials when the attack at the Kabul airport occurred. He has been briefed on it.

Reports suggest that the explosion happened near airport's main Abbey Gate.

Thousands of people have massed over the past 12 days near the gate hoping to be evacuated after the Taliban seized power.

Local media reported that the explosion happened close to the Baron Hotel near the gate.

Foreign intelligence agencies said that suicide bombers tied to the Afghan arm of the Daesh group —were threatening to attack the airport ahead of Washington's August 31 deadline to finalise the evacuation.