Taliban claim they unaware of al-Qaida leader in Afghanistan
4/8/2022 18:56
The Taliban broke its silence Thursday, days after a U.S. drone strike killing al-Qaida’s top leader in Afghanistan’s capital, acknowledging his slaying and pledging to launch an investigation. The killing of Ayman al-Zawahri on the balcony of a Kabul safehouse Sunday has further strained relations between the Taliban and the West, particularly as it seeks an urgent infusion of cash to handle an economic catastrophe there following the U.S. withdrawal from the country a year ago. Suhail Shaheen, the head of the group's political office in Doha, Qatar said, "The government and the leadership weren’t aware of what is being claimed, nor any trace there." That claim, however, directly conflicts with what U.S. officials have said about the strike. They say al-Zawahri was staying at the home of a top aide to senior Taliban leader Sirajuddin Haqqani. Haqqani is the deputy head of the Taliban, serves as interior minister in its government and heads the Haqqani network, a powerful faction within the movement. The Taliban had promised in the 2020 Doha Agreement with the U.S. that they would not harbor al-Qaida members or those seeking to attack the U.S.
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