Taliban denies recovery of US-killed Al-Qaeda chief Zawahiri's body

Kabul [Afghanistan], August 25 (ANI): After the US killed Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in a drone airstrike in Kabul last month, the Taliban announced on Thursday that they have not recovered Ayman al-Zawahiri's body.
Afghanistan's outlawed outfit Taliban said that it is still conducting investigations, reported the country's local media outlet Khaama Press.
While speaking at a press conference in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, Zabihullah Mujahid, a senior Taliban spokesman said that the body of al-Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has not yet been discovered.
Notably, key 9/11 plotter, Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in Kabul, Afghanistan by a US drone on the morning of 31 July. US President Joe Biden had said that justice has been delivered, adding, "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."
"He carved a trail of murder and violence against American citizens, American service members, American diplomats, and American interests. Zawahri was Bin Laden's leader, his number two man, and his deputy during the time of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. He was deeply involved in the planning of 9/11," Biden had added.
"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."
Following the statement by US President Joe Biden, 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."
He had said, "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 USD 25 million for information leading directly to Zawahiri's capture. (ANI)