Washington: Al Qaeda killed Medhawa Zawahiri, US says. Until it was confirmed, there were only rumors that his hideout was in Afghanistan or Pakistan. The Haqqani Taliban network arranged a residence for Zawahiri and his family in Kabul. Zawahiri and his family started living here after the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021. It is also noteworthy that this hideout is located in a strategic area where the embassies of Iran and Turkey are located.
After the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan last year, the strengthening of the al-Qaeda network in the country has been watched by the United States. Earlier this year, the U.S. reported that Zawahiri’s family, including his wife, daughter and grandchildren, had moved into a residence in Kabul. Confirmed. After identifying the exact location of the hideout, this matter was reported to the U.S. last April. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and then President Joe Biden. The intelligence investigation revealed that Zawahiri did not leave after reaching his residence in Kabul.
Biden checked everything before ordering
Prior to carrying out the mission, the Secret Service conducted a lengthy investigation into the structure and occupants of Zawahiri’s safe house. The aim was to kill Zawahiri without destroying the building or injuring his family members or local residents.
Analyzing intelligence, President Joe Biden has held regular consultations with key advisers and administration officials in recent weeks to plan the Zawahiri assassination. On the 1st of last month at the White House, the U.S. The mission was finalized in a meeting attended by CIA chief William Burns.
What the president wanted to know was what information he got about Zawahiri and how he got it. The aim was to ensure that the action against the world’s most notorious terrorist was flawless. During the meeting, Biden also examined the model of Zawahiri’s residence prepared by intelligence agencies. The lighting system of the residence, the weather condition of the area and the materials used in the construction of the building were asked.
Ahead of the invasion of Kabul, senior lawyers from various agencies analyzed intelligence and confirmed that the action against the al-Qaeda chief was legal. The meeting convened by President Biden on the 25th of last month analyzed how the killing of Zawahiri would affect America’s relationship with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Subsequently, Biden ordered the assassination of Zawahiri in an airstrike, with strict instructions that no civilians should be harmed.