KABUL, Afghanistan – Condemning the recent drone strike by the United States in Kabul, the Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid issued a statement Thursday evening, saying the America will face consequences if they repeated similar military acts on Afghan soil in the future.
This came days after the United States President Joe Biden announced an American drone strike killed Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri at an urban safe house in Afghanistan.
“The fact that America invaded our territory and violated all international principles, we strongly condemn the action once again,” the statement warned. “If such action is repeated, the responsibility of any consequences will be on the United States of America.”
While the US accuses the Taliban leadership of breaking Doha agreement by proving a sanctuary to the terrorist groups in Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate refused involved, saying they did not have knowledge about the Al-Qaeda leader’s whereabouts in Kabul.
“…US President Joe Biden claimed that US troops had targeted Al-Qaeda leader Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri in this attack, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has no information about Ayman al-Zawahiri’s arrival and stay in Kabul,” the statement read.
The group’s leadership has order a thorough investigation onto the case to determine whether Biden’s claim of killing al-Zawahri in Kabul is true.
“The leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has instructed the investigative and intelligence agencies to conduct a comprehensive and serious investigation into the various aspects of the incident,” the statement added.
United States, including international community, constantly reminded the Taliban leadership to assure Afghan soil will not be used as a threat against neighboring countries, the recent announcement on al-Zawahri has escalated concern even further.
“There is no threat to any country, including America, from the soil of Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate wants to implement the Doha pact and the violation of the pact must end,” Taliban spokesman said on the released statement.
Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahirim, a key plotter of the 9/11 terrorist attacks who took over as the leader of Al-Qaeda after Osama bin Laden’s death, was an Egyptian-born terrorist and physician. He served as the second emir of the group since June 16, 2011.
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Earlier, Abdul Salam Hanafi, the second Deputy Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate, said the United States drone strike in Kabul violates both national sovereignty and the Doha Agreement.
“These issues are still unclear to us, the only thing we know for sure is that a drone attack has taken place, which is against international law and the Doha Agreement,” Hanafi said, as TOLOnews quoted.
American intelligence agencies tracked down al-Zawahri in Kabul earlier this year and then spent months determining if it really was him hiding out in a crowded neighborhood of the Afghan capital, which drew questions whether the Taliban provides sanctuary to terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.
But the Islamic Emirate defied the criticism, saying Afghanistan soil is not used for any thread against other countries, including the United States.
“The Islamic Emirate’s policy, which has been repeatedly stated to the people, is that our soil is not used against our neighbors,” Hanafi said.
The Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid in a statement confirmed that a strike took place and strongly condemned it, calling it a violation of “international principles.”
