Taliban say ‘no information’ about Zawahiri in Afghanistan

KABUL (AFP) - The Taliban have said they have no knowledge of Ayman alZawahiri’s presence in Afghanistan, days after US President Joe Biden announced the Al-Qaeda chief had been killed by a drone strike in Kabul.

A carefully phrased Taliban statement neither confirmed Zawahiri’s presence in Afghanistan nor acknowledged his death, but carried the first official mention of his name since Sunday’s strike.

Zawahiri’s assassination is the biggest blow to Al-Qaeda since US special forces killed Osama bin Laden in 2011, and calls into question the Taliban’s promise not to harbour militant groups.

The United States led an invasion in 2001 that toppled the first Taliban government, after the hardline Islamist group refused to hand over bin Laden following the 9/11 attacks.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has no information about Ayman alZawahiri’s arrival and stay,” a Taliban statement said.

“The leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has instructed the intelligence agencies to hold a comprehensive and serious investigation.”

Taliban officials had previously conceded that a US drone strike had taken place in an upmarket Kabul suburb, but gave no details of any casualties.

Washington said earlier this week that Zawahiri’s presence was a clear violation of the Doha agreement signed in 2020 that paved the way for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan a year ago.

The Taliban, in turn, said Washington had breached the accord.

“The fact that America invaded our territory and violated all international principles, we strongly condemn the action once again,” the statement said.

“If such action is repeated, the responsibility of any consequences will be on the United States of America.” The Taliban said in their statement that there was “no threat” to any country from Afghanistan’s soil.

Zawahiri took over Al-Qaeda after bin Laden was killed, and had a $25 million US bounty on his head.

News of his death comes a month before the first anniversary of the final withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the return to power of the Taliban.

No country has yet recognised the new government, which has slowly reintroduced a harsh interpretation of Islamic law that characterised the Taliban’s first stint in power. Afghanistan’s assets abroad frozen, aid curtailed, and sanctions on key Taliban leaders.