CIA Carries Out Successful Drone Strike Against al Qaeda Leader

Zawahiri replaced Osama bin Laden, after bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in 2021. He was accused of being one of the masterminds behind the World Trade Center attacks on September 11th, 2002

By Donald Standeford, SJ Founder/Publisher
August 02, 2022 11:45 pm UTC
Modified: August 02, 2022 11:45 pm

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has carried out a successful drone strike in Afghanistan against al Qaeda leader al-Zawahiri.

U.S. officials released the information anonymously, saying that the CIA had carried out the drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday according to reports by CNN and Reuters.

A senior U.S. Official said, "Over the weekend, the United States conducted a counterterrorism operation against a significant al Qaeda target in Afghanistan," Reuters quoted a senior administration official as saying. "The operation was successful and there were no civilian casualties".

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid put out a statement confirming the strike had occurred and called it a violation of "international principles", according to Reuters.

Washington has not officially confirmed the strike, but U.S. President Joe Biden is set to deliver a statement on Monday at 7:30 pm (11:30 GMT) after the White House confirmed that a "successful counter-terrorism operation" had been carried out.

Zawahiri replaced Osama bin Laden, after bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in 2021. He was accused of being one of the masterminds behind the World Trade Center attacks on September 11th, 2002.