The United States has killed the world’s most-wanted terrorist – the leader of Al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in a drone strike in Afghanistan. He was taken out in a counter-terrorism operation carried out by the Central Investigation Agency (CIA) in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sunday.
Zawahiri was on the balcony of a safe house when the drone fired two missiles at him, according to US officials. Other family members were present but they were unharmed and only Zawahiri was killed
We take a look at how the operation to kill one of the masterminds of the 9/11 attacks was planned and executed.
Biden emphasised that while al-Zawahiri was the target no civilians should be killed in the Afghan capital – not even the terrorist’s family. The drone strike on Sunday only killed the Al-Qaeda leader, according to the White House.
Members of Zawahiri’s family were present in the home, but “were purposely not targeted and were not harmed,” the official said. “We have no indications that civilians were harmed in this strike.”
The official said the strike “deals a significant blow to Al Qaeda and will degrade the group’s ability to operate.”
“As President Biden has consistently said, we will not allow Afghanistan to become a safe haven for terrorists who might bring harm to Americans,” he added.
