Kabul Airport Attack Witness Recalls Terror as a Young Girl Died in His Arms

This story contains graphic images that readers may find distressing.

An Afghan man who witnessed the attack at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Thursday said a 5-year-old girl died in his arms following the attack.

Describing the incident at the airport, he told Fox News' America's Newsroom that there was an "explosion that happened inside the crowd."

"A lot of people got hurt and I got a baby girl. She was 5 years old, she died right in my hand. I don't know what is going on over there, but I think some of the Americans got hurt, too," said the man, who identified as "Carl."

Carl said he tried to get the girl to a hospital.

"She was not my baby girl. She was somebody else's girl. I saw her on the ground and I picked her up and took her to the hospital, but she died right in my hands at that time," Carl said.

The man told Fox that he worked for United States Marine Corps and that he "was ready to go and get close to the airport and get on a plane and get out of here."

U.S. officials confirmed at least two explosions in Kabul on Thursday.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said one explosion occurred outside the airport's Abbey Gate, and that at least one other explosion happened at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance away.

On Thursday afternoon, Pentagon officials said 12 U.S. service members were killed and 15 more were wounded in the attack.

General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., who leads the United States Central Command, also said that "a number of Afghan civilians were also killed and injured in the attack."

"We're still working to calculate the total losses. We just don't know what that is right now," he added.

The New York Times reported Thursday that estimates about the death toll from the attack have varied: one health official told the newspaper that at least 40 people died and 140 were wounded, while another official said there were 40 dead and 140 wounded.

The Taliban said that at least 13 civilians had been killed and 60 wounded, the Times reported.

A U.S. official told the Associated Press on Thursday that the Islamic State insurgent group is "definitely believed" to be behind Thursday's attack.

McKenzie told reporters that the threat from the ISIS is "extremely real" and said officials believe it is "their desire to continue those attacks and we expect those attacks to continue.

"And we're doing everything we can to be prepared for those attacks," he added.