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On August 4, 2022, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the ruling Taliban jihadi organization) issued an official statement in which it said it had "no information" about the stay of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike on July 31 in Kabul city.
The Taliban statement – the full text of which is given below – also condemned the U.S. drone strike, saying it "violated all international principles" of sovereignty. The Islamic Emirate said an investigation is underway "into the various aspects of the incident."
The Taliban's official statement was posted on Justpaste.it and shared by Zabihullah Mujahid, the Afghan Taliban spokesman, on Twitter. Following is the text of the statement:
"Declaration of the Islamic Emirate on the Claim of U.S. President Joe Biden
"On the 2nd of Muharram, 1444 [July 31, 2022], an air strike was carried out on a residential house in Kabul city; two days later, U.S. President Joe Biden claimed that U.S. troops had targeted al-Qaeda leader Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri in this attack. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has no information about Ayman al-Zawahiri's arrival and stay in Kabul.
"The leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has instructed the investigative and intelligence agencies to conduct a comprehensive and serious investigation into the various aspects of the incident.
"There is no threat to any country, including America, from the soil of Afghanistan; the Islamic Emirate wants to implement the Doha pact and the violation of the pact must end.
"The fact that America invaded our territory and violated all international principles [by launching the drone strike on Kabul]; we strongly condemn the action once again. If such action is repeated, the responsibility of any consequences will be on the United States of America.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan"
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