Taliban spokesman condemned the drone strike, calling it a violation of “international principles.”
The United States killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in a drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, told American President Joe Biden on Monday. The killing has caused a huge blow to the militants since Osama bin Laden was shot dead eleven years ago, claims the US.
“I authorized a precision strike that would remove him from the battlefield, once and for all,” Biden said, “Now justice has been delivered, and this terrorist leader is no more.”
The 71 years old, Ayman al-Zawahiri, had remained a visible international symbol of Al Qaeda for over a decade after the US killed Osama bin Laden. At one point, he acted as bin Laden’s personal physician.
US intelligence has claimed with “high confidence” that the man killed was Zawahiri, a senior administration official told reporters. No other deaths were reported.
“Zawahiri continued to pose an active threat to US persons, interests and national security,” the official said on a conference call. “His death deals a significant blow to al Qaeda and will degrade the group’s ability to operate.”
The drone attack is the first known US strike inside Afghanistan since the US army left the country last year in August.
Taliban spokesman confirmed drone strike
In a statement, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that a strike took place and strongly condemned it, calling it a violation of “international principles.”
“An air strike was carried out on a residential house in Sherpur area of Kabul city on July 31.” He said. “The nature of the incident was not apparent at first” but the security and intelligence services of the Islamic Emirate investigated the incident and “initial findings determined that the strike was carried out by an American drone.”
Earlier in a tweet, Mujahid said that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan “strongly condemns this attack on any pretext and calls it a clear violation of international principles and the Doha Agreement.”