The US Federal Aviation Administration today has banned US operators from Afghanistan airspace (OAKX/KabulFIR) except for US military evacuation flights to/from Kabul Airport (OAKB), because of threats of hostile fire targeting airports and surface-to-air missiles targeting low-flying aircraft.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the governments of the UK, France and Canada are advising operators to avoid Afghanistan's airspace entirely.

The current conflict has led to a total absence of air traffic control across Afghanistan's airspace, creating an extreme threat to aircraft and crews as well as to security on the ground.

High alert status of air defense forces in neighboring states makes target misidentification a real possibility.

Earlier today, two suicide bomb attacks - for which the Taliban disclaim responsibility - outside Kabul Airport killed at least 43 people including both Afghan and US civilians and US military personnel.