By Spy Uganda Correspondent
The United States on Tuesday killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in a drone strike in Afghanistan, US president Joe Biden claimed Tuesday morning. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) carried out an operation killing Ayman al-Zawahiri outside Kabul on Sunday.
“(Ayman al-Zawahiri) carved a trail of murder and violence against American citizens. Now justice has been delivered and this terrorist leader is no more,” Biden said adding that Zawahiri was standing on the balcony of a safe house when a drone fired two missiles at him. Zawahiri’s other family members were present but only the terror mastermind was killed in the mission.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was once an eye surgeon, helped in the founding of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad terrorist group. He was appointed al-Qaeda chief after Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces in May 2011.
Biden further added that Zawahiri’s death would bring closure to the families of the victims of 9/11 attacks.
He also reminded citizens that Zawahiri was the mastermind of several other terrorist attacks including the suicide bombing of the USS Cole naval destroyer in Aden in October 2000 in which 17 US soldiers were killed.
“No matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out. We shall never waver from defending our nation and its people,” Biden said.
The chief ideologue of the terrorist group was also referred to as Osama’s right hand man. Security experts believe Zawahiri played an operative role in the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US.
Ayman al-Zawahiri released several videos during his time as chief of al-Qaeda with an aim to recruit more Muslims to the terrorist group.
He also came out in support of a female student in Karnataka who protested against the hijab ban in educational institutions of the state and in a video read out a poem praising her actions.
The student, Muskan Khan, confronted a mob of students who got into an argument with her because Khan was wearing a headscarf.
