WHO hopes to establish air bridge into northern Afghanistan to deliver emergency medical supplies

Medical supplies are running out in Afghanistan, where the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday it hoped to establish an air bridge into the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif with the help of Pakistani authorities within the next two or three days.

"Right now because of security concerns and several other operational considerations, Kabul airport is not going to be an option for the next week at least," Rick Brennan, WHO's regional emergency director, speaking from Cairo, told a Geneva briefing.

Insurance rates for flying into Afghanistan have "skyrocketed", he said, speaking a day after bombs at Kabul airport. 

"Once we can address that we can hopefully be airborne in the next 48-72 hours," he added. 

An official says at least 95 Afghans were killed in Thursday’s suicide bombings outside Kabul’s international airport.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. The official said the actual death toll is even higher because others were involved in evacuating bodies.