American forces keep up airlift under high threat warnings

By SAYED ZIARMAL HASHEMI, LOLITA C. BALDOR, KATHY GANNON and ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — American forces working under heightened security and threats of another attack are pressing ahead in the closing days of the U.S.-led evacuation from Afghanistan after a devastating suicide bombing. U.S. officials say they’ve used a drone strike to kill a member of the extremist group that the United States believes responsible for it. The death toll in Thursday’s suicide bombing rose to 169 Afghans, a number that could increase as authorities examine fragmented remains, and 13 U.S. service members. U.S. Central Command said American officials believed the militant killed in Saturday’s drone strike had been in planning strikes against the United States in Kabul.