Kabul: Taliban have not found body of Ayman al-Zawahiri and are continuing investigations, group spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said after United States said they killed  Al Qaeda leader in an airstrike in Kabul last month.

United States killed Zawahiri with a missile fired from a drone while he stood on a balcony at his hideout in July, US officials said, in biggest blow to Al Qaeda since US Navy SEALS shot dead Osama bin Laden more than a decade ago. His death in Kabul raised questions about whether he received sanctuary from Taliban, who had assured United States as part of a 2020 agreement on withdrawal of US-led forces that they would not harbour other militant groups. Zawahiri, an Egyptian doctor was closely involved in September 11, 2001 attacks on US and was one of world’s most wanted men. US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity said United States carried out a drone strike in Afghan capital Kabul on morning of July 31. “Now justice has been delivered and this terrorist leader is no more,” Biden had said in remarks from White House.

“We never back down.” Senior US official said finding Zawahiri was result of persistent counterterrorism work. United States identified this year that Zawahiri’s wife, daughter and her children had relocated to a safe house in Kabul, then identified that Zawahiri was there as well, official had added. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said  Taliban had “grossly violated” agreement by hosting and sheltering Zawahiri. Both bin laden and Zawahiri eluded capture when US-led forces toppled Afghanistan’s Taliban government in late 2001 following September 11 attacks on United States.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 26 2022

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