Politics

Biden to address US amid reports that drone strike killed Al-Zawahri

Washington, Aug 1 (EFE).- President Joe Biden will address the nation on television at 7:30 pm on Monday to discuss a “successful” anti-terrorism operation against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, amid unconfirmed reports that a CIA drone strike has killed Ayman al-Zawahri, the head of the terrorist organization.

A White House official said in a statement that the operation was undertaken on the weekend and was directed at a key Al Qaeda target in the Central Asian nation.

According to the government, the target – whom it did not identify – was struck successfully and killed, but “there were no civilian casualties.”

However, media outlets like The Washington Post and CNN have reported that the target may have been Al-Zawahri, who – for many years – has been at or near the top of the US list of most-wanted terrorists.

Biden reportedly intends to speak from a balcony off the White House Blue Room, given that he is currently in self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19.

The 71-year-old Al-Zawahri, an Egyptian, is well-known for being the head of Al Qaeda, having taken over the organization in June 2011 after US commandos killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

He and Bin Laden oversaw and organized the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the US, which killed some 3,000 people and led to the US-led military operation in Afghanistan to topple the Taliban government there.

The terrorist leader has headed or been a top official within assorted Islamist organizations which have also undertaken terrorist attacks in Asia, Africa and Europe.

EFE arc/ssa/eat

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