US President Joe Biden is set to address the nation at 7:30 p.m. in Washington (12.30am UK time). A senior administration official said: “Over the weekend, the United States conducted a counterterrorism operation against a major al-Qaeda target in Afghanistan. “The operation was successful and there were no civilian casualties.” Mr Biden is set to speak from the balcony outside the White House Blue Room as he remains in residential isolation while continuing to test positive for COVID-19. The death of al-Zawahiri would be the biggest blow to al-Qaeda since its founder Osama bin Laden was killed by US special forces in 2011. A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a drone strike was carried out by the CIA in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Sunday. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the strike and strongly condemned it, calling it a violation of “international principles”. Speaking on August 31, 2021, after the last US troops left Afghanistan, Mr Biden said the US would not abandon its fight against terrorism in that country or elsewhere. “We will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries,” he said. “We just don’t have to go to ground war to do it.” Previewing the strike that would take place 11 months later, Mr Biden said at the time: “We have what’s called over-the-horizon capabilities, which means we can strike terrorists and targets without American boots on the ground – or very few, if any.” need. .” al-Zawahiri helped coordinate the 9/11 attacks in which four airliners were hijacked and flown into both towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. The terrorist attack left behind almost 3,000 dead.
