CANBERRA (Reuters) - There is a high threat of a terrorist attack near the airport in Kabul, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne said on Thursday, as Canberra urged its citizens and those with a visa for Australia to evacuate the area.

       Australia has been evacuating its citizens and visa holders for more than a week from Kabul airport, where Canberra had urged people to travel in order to be ready for transport.

       Late on Wednesday, Australia changed its advice to those in the area, which Payne said was based on heightened concerns of an attack.

       "There is an ongoing and very high threat of a terrorist attack," Payne told reporters in Canberra.

       (Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Peter Cooney)