A US drone killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri at a house in Kabul, where he had been living with his family, on Sunday morning.
United States President Joe Biden said he had issued orders to kill the terrorist who became al-Qaeda's 'emir' after US Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011.
'He will never again, never again, allow Afghanistan to become a terrorist safe haven because he is gone and we're going to make sure that nothing else happens,' Biden stated in an address from the White House on Monday evening.
Biden hoped al-Zawahiri's death would bring 'one more measure of closure' to the families of the 9/11 victims.
US intelligence agencies received information early this year that al-Zawahiri's wife, daughter and grandchildren were in Kabul. Later, they learnt that al-Zawahiri was also in the Afghan capital.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan briefed Biden as different arms of the US intelligence agencies and the military planned an operation to 'take out' al-Zawahiri.
On Thursday, July 28, Biden gave the mission his go ahead.
Al-Zawahiri, 71, was standing on the balcony of his Kabul home early on Sunday morning when two Hellfire missiles were launched from a drone. His family was unhurt as they were not in the vicinity of the attack.
The US said the operation had been conducted at 9.48 Eastern time on Saturday, July 30, roughly 6.18 am Kabul time, July 31.
CNN reported that the Taliban had moved al-Zawahiri's family to a safehouse after the attack.
Biden announced that over the weekend, US forces launched an airstrike in Afghanistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. Photograph: Jim Watson-Pool/Getty Images
'On Saturday, at my direction, the United States successfully concluded an air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, and killed al-Qaeda Emir Ayman al-Zawahiri,' Biden said.
'No matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the US will find you and take you out', Biden warned terrorists.
'He carved a trail of murder and violence against American citizens, American service members, American diplomats, and American interests. Zawahiri was bin Laden's leader, his number two man, and his deputy during the time of terrorist attacks on 9/11. He was deeply involved in the planning of 9/11,' Biden said.
'When I ended our military mission in Afghanistan almost a year ago, I made a decision that after 20 years of war, the United States no longer needed thousands of boots on the ground in Afghanistan to protect America from terrorists who seek to do us harm,' Biden said, adding 'I made a promise to the American people that we would continue to conduct effective counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan and beyond. We've done just that.'
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed the strike and said, 'An air strike was carried out on a residential house in Sherpur area of Kabul city on July 31.'
'The nature of the incident was not apparent at first', but the security and intelligence services of the Islamic Emirate investigated the incident and 'initial findings determined that the strike was carried out by an American drone.'
Mujahid said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 'strongly condemns this attack on any pretext and calls it a clear violation of international principles and the Doha Agreement.'
The US state department had offered a reward of up to $25 million for information leading directly to Zawahiri's capture.
