Islamabad: The Taliban are investigating a US “claim” that al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri become killed in a US drone strike in Kabul, a Taliban legit stated on Thursday, indicating the institution’s management had been now no longer aware about his presence there.
The United States killed Zawahiri with a missile fired from a drone whilst he stood on a balcony at his Kabul hideout on Sunday, US officers stated, in the largest blow to the terrorists on the grounds that Osama bin Laden become shot useless extra than a decade ago.
“The authorities and the management wasn’t aware about what’s being claimed, nor any hint there,” Suhail Shaheen, the particular Taliban consultant to the United Nations, who’s primarily based totally in Doha, advised reporters in a message.
“Investigation is underway now to discover approximately the veracity of the claim,” he stated, including that the outcomes of the research might be shared publicly.
Taliban leaders have remained in large part tight-lipped approximately the Sunday drone strike and feature now no longer showed the presence or demise of Zawahiri in Kabul.
Top Taliban leaders had been protecting prolonged discussions approximately a way to reply to the United States drone strike, 3 reassets withinside the institution stated.
How the Taliban react should have tremendous repercussions because the institution seeks worldwide legitimacy and get admission to to billions of greenbacks in frozen funds, following their defeat of a US-subsidized authorities a 12 months ago.
Zawahiri, an Egyptian doctor, become intently worried withinside the September 11, 2001, assaults at the United States and become one of the world’s maximum desired men.
His demise in Kabul increases questions on whether or not he obtained sanctuary from the Taliban, who had confident america as a part of a 2020 settlement at the withdrawal of US-led forces that they might now no longer harbour different terrorist groups.
Shaheen stated the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – the call the Taliban use for the u . s . a . and their authorities – become dedicated to the settlement, signed withinside the Qatari capital, Doha.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated the Taliban had “grossly violated” the settlement with the aid of using web website hosting and sheltering Zawahiri.
