Biden Says US Drone Strike Killed al-Qaeda Leader Ayman al-Zawahiri

President Biden on Monday claimed that a US drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, that was carried out over the weekend killed top al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Biden said that US intelligence located Zawahiri earlier this year and that he moved to downtown Kabul to “reunite with members of his immediate family.” Biden said he authorized the drone strike last week.

Administration officials told the media that the drone strike was launched by the CIA. It’s the first known US drone strike in Afghanistan since the US completed the withdrawal from the country on August 30, 2021.

Biden claimed that no civilians were killed in the strike, but the US is known for undercounting civilian casualties. The last known US drone strike in Afghanistan occurred on August 29, 2021, and killed 10 civilians, including seven children. Initially, the US military claimed the strike killed ISIS-K members and described it as “righteous.”