LIVE now: U.S. President Joe Biden gives details on operation over the weekend that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.
Biden said U.S. intelligence officials tracked al-Zawahri to a home in downtown Kabul where he was hiding out with his family. The president approved the operation last week and it was carried out on Sunday.WASHINGTON - A U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan this weekend killed Ayman al-Zawahri, who took over as al-Qaida leader after Osama bin Laden's death in a U.S. raid.
White House officials declined to confirm al-Zawahri was killed but noted in a statement that the United States conducted a “successful” counterterrorism operation against a significant al-Qaida target, adding that “there were no civilian casualties.” Their bond was forged in the late 1980s, when al-Zawahri reportedly treated the Saudi millionaire bin Laden in the caves of Afghanistan as Soviet bombardment shook the mountains around them.
Photos from the time often showed the glasses-wearing, mild-looking Egyptian doctor sitting by the side of bin Laden. Al-Zawahiri had merged his group of Egyptian militants with bin Laden's al-Qaida in the 1990s. More recently, the al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen proved itself capable of plotting attacks against U.S. soil with an attempted 2009 bombing of an American passenger jet and an attempted package bomb the following year.
Al-Zawahri was also a more divisive figure than his predecessor. Many militants described the soft-spoken bin Laden in adoring and almost spiritual terms. Speaking on Aug. 31, 2021, after the last U.S. troops left Afghanistan, Biden said the U.S. would not let up on its fight against terrorism in that country or elsewhere.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Joe Biden says he’s ‘feeling fine’ after another positive COVID-19 testBiden will return to strict isolation and will cancel planned trips to his home in Wilmington and work trip in Michigan
Read more »
U.S. President Biden urges Russia, China to engage in nuclear talksJoe Biden says China has a responsibility to play a leading role in nuclear non-proliferation
Read more »
AP sources: U.S. operation killed al-Qaida leader al-ZawahriA U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan this weekend killed Ayman al-Zawahri, who took over as al-Qaida leader after Osama bin Laden's death in a U.S. raid.
Read more »
US operation has killed al-Qaida leader al-Zawahri: AP sourcesA U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan this weekend killed Ayman al-Zawahri, who took over as al-Qaida leader after Osama bin Laden's death in a U.S. raid. President Joe Biden was set to announce the killing Monday, delivering a significant counterterrorism win just 11 months after American troops left the country after a two-decade war.
Read more »
Biden tests positive for COVID-19, returns to isolationIn accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Biden will reenter isolation for least five days
Read more »