The leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist network, Aiman al-Zawahiri, has been killed in a US counter-terrorist operation in Afghanistan. Al-Zawahiri was killed in a targeted drone strike on a shelter in the Afghan capital Kabul last weekend, a senior US official said Monday evening (local time). US President Joe Biden spoke shortly at the White House in Washington.
Biden delivered his speech on a balcony at government headquarters. “Justice has been served and this terrorist leader is no longer alive,” Trump said in a televised address. The successful operation sends a clear signal to all enemies of the US: “No matter how long it takes, wherever you hide, if you pose a threat to our people, the US will find you and eliminate you,” Biden said. . . The US president is currently in isolation due to a coronavirus infection.
Prepared for attack for months
The government official said the attack on Al-Zawahiri had been prepared for months. He was eventually killed when he stepped onto the balcony of his hideout in Kabul. There were no civilian casualties; according to US information, only Al-Zawahiri died in the attack. There were no US troops in Kabul during the operation. She stressed that according to US information, members of the Taliban leadership knew that the al-Qaeda boss was in Kabul. You would have clearly violated agreements with the United States.
Al-Zawahiri was bin Laden’s deputy at the time of the September 11, 2001 attacks and took his place after his death, she said. The 71-year-old was the supreme leader of al-Qaeda and continued to call for attacks on the United States, posing a threat. His death was a severe blow to the terrorist group.
Rumors of Zawahiri .’s death over and over again
Al-Zawahiri made his last public appearance last September – exactly 20 years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In a video message, he called on his supporters to fight the states in the West and their allies in the Middle East. In previous years, there were unconfirmed rumors about his death. His exact whereabouts were unknown.
There was also speculation about his health condition. Media reported in 2019, citing intelligence, that Zawahiri was suffering from heart problems. His death came as a surprise. The United States had put a $25 million bounty on his head. Experts recently suspected that Al-Zawahiri was hiding in the Afghanistan/Pakistan border area.
Taliban confirmed attack
The radical Islamist Taliban said a residential building in Kabul was attacked by a drone on Sunday. They condemned the attack and accused the US of violating international principles and the treaty to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan.
Last summer, the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. The US and its allies left the country after years of military action. The Taliban government is not internationally recognized.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
