Kabul attacks: 'Suicide bomber waited until last possible moment' - how the story unfolded

Less than 48 hours to the ghastly attack at the Kabul airport, the United States military struck back at the Islamic State on Saturday, bombing an IS member in Nangahar Province of Afghanistan. US President Joe Biden had vouched to take revenge for the killings of the 13 US troops and several innocent civilians.

The world condemned the Kabul airport attacks in one voice. Just after 2 pm on Friday, a US aircraft took off from the Kabul airport with the American flag draped 13 coffins of the US troops who had died in the attacks.

In one of the deadliest bombings in the country's history, the death toll from the attacks neared 200 with hundreds more wounded. But this has not deterred the desperate Afghans from reaching the Kabul airport in a bid to flee the Taliban rule.

How did the day unfold?

The suicide bomber waited until the last possible moment, US officials were quoted by a leading international media portal.

In the hope to be evacuated from Afghanistan, huge crowds had gathered at the Abbey Gate, the main entry point to the Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The entrance of the Abbey Gate was manned by US Marines and other service members who knew they could be the target of an attack.

A day ago, the State Department had warned of a 'credible' threat at three gates of the Kabul airport, where US troops were helping in evacuation.

The Abbey Gate was also on the list. In less than two weeks, more than 5,000 US troops had helped to evacuate more than 100,000 people.

After the warning, airport security had closed two of the gates, but decided to leave Abbey Gate open, some US officials were quoted.

Earlier in the day, Taliban fighters manning checkpoints along the airport route twice pushed back surging crowds, but they came back again.

When for the third time the crowds pushed their way to the Abbey Gate, someone else also came along with them.

It was 5:48 pm on the fateful day, when the bomber wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under clothing, walked up to the US troops checking people.

He waited for his turn until just before he was about to be searched by the US troops, the leading portal quoted the US officials.

He then finally detonated the bomb, which he wore under his vest killing himself and others standing nearby. It was unusually large for a suicide vest.

(With International media portal Inputs)