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And I met Mohammad Yaqoob, who is the defense minister for the Taliban. In fact, on the very day of this drone strike, I flew down to Kandahar - important city for the Taliban. And they say they want better relations with the United States. They're expecting more international journalists in the days to come. They've been relatively open with me these past few days. The anniversary of their takeover is coming up. It comes just as they were preparing to reach out to the world. KHALID: So Steve, how does the timing of this drone strike affect the Taliban? And some of his videos have surfaced this year. did regard Zawahiri as an ongoing threat. is going to accept any of these explanations because the U.S. Now, there's other language that people who threaten the United States have, quote, "no place in Afghanistan." And it's unlikely the U.S. But he doesn't promise that some extremist will never be living here. He's saying, we will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil for attacks.
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INSKEEP: Now, listen there to what he's saying and also not saying. We want to pave the way for reconstruction of Afghanistan. SUHAIL SHAHEEN: It is our commitment that we will not allow anyone to use the soil of Afghanistan against any other country, including the United States. One year ago, as they were taking over here in Kabul, we called a Taliban spokesman named Suhail Shaheen. But it's revealing to hear the way the Taliban describe that agreement. They're saying that the United States violated the agreement by striking Afghanistan. What are the Taliban saying in regards to that? And, you know, we should specify, this is a deal with the United States under which they promised not to shelter extremists. KHALID: Steve, Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Taliban violated the Doha agreement. has accused the Taliban for years of sheltering extremist groups that target the United States. That's why the United States attacked Afghanistan in the first place more than 20 years ago. Of course, the Taliban sheltered Osama bin Laden after 9/11. INSKEEP: Even though the Taliban have not confirmed his death officially, this seems like an extraordinary development. What are they saying about Zawahiri living right there? And we should, you know, tell listeners that that is why you're there, reporting on how the country has changed. KHALID: Well, I mean, Steve, that does raise another question, because the Taliban are now in charge there in Afghanistan. And, in fact, the government intelligence headquarters is just a few minutes' drive away from where, according to the U.S., Zawahiri was hiding. But otherwise, life seemed to be going on as usual in the streets all around. And we drove to the area of the targeted house this morning and found Taliban fighters blocking and guarding the approaches to it. It's different because the rulers are different. Now, of course, the population has flipped. Some of them used to be occupied by U.S.-backed warlords - big blast walls, guard towers. INSKEEP: It's a house in the Sherpur neighborhood of Kabul, which is upscale, a lot of big houses. KHALID: And where exactly was this house that was struck? And the Taliban even now have not confirmed that he was killed.
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The speculation was going in other directions. Now, the idea that Zawahiri was hit took a couple of days to emerge at all. The Taliban, we should mention, blame American drones, plural, while the U.S. But it took a couple of days before Biden and the Taliban both confirmed that. All through Sunday, rumors spread that it might have been a drone attack.
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And they began sharing images of a multi-story house with the windows blown out. People woke to at least one early-morning explosion here. The first sign of something going on was the sound. KHALID: So Steve, how did the news of this attack unfold? And our co-host, Steve Inskeep, is in Kabul with NPR colleagues. KHALID: When Biden says downtown Kabul, he means the area around government buildings, buildings that are, in fact, controlled by the current rulers, the Taliban. After carefully considering clear and convincing evidence of his location, I authorized a precision strike that would remove him from the battlefield once and for all. He had moved to downtown Kabul to reunite with members of his immediate family. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Our intelligence community located Zawahiri earlier this year. He ascended to al-Qaida's top position when the U.S.
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Two decades after the 9/11 attacks, the United States says it has killed the leader of al-Qaida.Īyman al-Zawahiri was considered a planner of that attack and others.