IEA was ‘unaware’ of al-Zawahiri having been in Kabul 

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) leaders on Thursday issued a statement on the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and said they had no information about his “arrival and stay” in Kabul. 

US President Joe Biden said Monday they killed al-Zawahiri with a missile fired from a drone while he stood on a balcony at his Kabul hideout in the suburb of Sherpur on Sunday. 

According to a statement, the IEA said it had “no knowledge of al-Zawahiri’s arrival and residence in Kabul.”

The leadership of the IEA has ordered the intelligence agencies to conduct serious and comprehensive investigations into various aspects of the mentioned incident, the statement read. 

“There is no danger from Afghanistan to any country, including America, the Islamic Emirate wants the implementation of the Doha Agreement and the violation of this agreement must end,” the statement read.

“The fact that America invaded our territory and violated all international principles, we strongly condemn the action once again. If such action is repeated, the responsibility of any consequences will be on the United States of America.”

This comes after Reuters reported earlier Thursday that a senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that Washington would continue targeting al-Qaeda in Afghanistan to ensure the country would not again become a refuge for “terrorists plotting against the United States.”

“We will remain vigilant and take action as needed, just like we did this week,” warned the official, who said that U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration still would engage with the Taliban (IEA) “when it can help advance American interests.”

Reuters also reported that an IEA source said meetings between high-level IEA members were being held. 

The official, who said there had been lengthy leadership discussions for two days, declined to be identified. He did not confirm that al-Zawahiri was in the house that the missile struck.

Al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian doctor, was closely involved in the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and was one of the world’s most wanted men.

Another IEA official confirmed the high-level meetings but said he did not know what was being discussed and he did not believe al-Zawahiri was in the house, Reuters reported. 

In response to the US airstrike in Kabul, China has meanwhile said that the fight against terrorism should not harm the sovereignty of other countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China stated that in the fight against terrorism, no double standards should be used.

At the same time, Pakistan, in response to the reports that Pakistan helped the US in this air attack, said that Islamabad had no role in it and that this issue should be discussed between the US and Afghanistan.