Taliban denies harbouring 'dead' Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri

Taliban spokesperson Mohammad Naim recently dismissed the reports suggesting the group harbouring al-Qaeda Number One Ayman al-Zawahiri. While speaking with Russian news agency Sputnik, Naim rejected the reports over al-Zawahiri and said, “This is a lie. It has nothing to do with the truth.” While the Taliban has established de-facto control over almost all of Afghanistan last month and the former government fell, the insurgents promised Russia, the US and other nations that it would not allow al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups to operate in the terrorists that fall under its control. 

Naim’s remark to the Russian news agency came after on September 12, Michael Morell, an intelligence analyst who served as former US President Barack Obama's CIA director between 2011 and 2013 told CBS that the American intelligence believed that al-Qaeda number one is living in Afghanistan. Morrell said in the televised interview, “We think so, which means that the Taliban is harbouring Zawahiri today. The Taliban is harbouring al-Qaeda today. And I think that's a very important point.” However, the retired CIA chief did not elaborate further. 

Zawahiri spotted in 9/11 anniversary video

As per the report, over the weekend, Zawahiri was spotted in a video released on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. However, the intelligence analysts have speculated that the said footage could have been filmed anytime between February 2020 and the signing of the US-Taliban agreement in Doha over US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan. 

Morell’s remarks over Zawahiri living in Afghanistan, now controlled by the Taliban, came after it was rumoured in November 2020 that the 70-year-old al-Qaeda leader had died. However, as per the report, none of the intelligence agencies in the US as well as other nations have provided any solid proof that he was dead. Zawahiri served as al-Qaeda’s number two for several decades under Osama bin Laden. But, following the alleged liquidation in a US Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan, Zawahiri became the leader of the extremist group. 

In the clip, whose existence was tweeted by US-based SITE Intelligence Group that tracks jihadist websites, Zawahiri said that “Jerusalem Will Never be Judaized.” He also praised al-Qaeda attacks including one that targeted Russian troops in Syria in January. According to AP, the al-Qaeda leader did not mention US troop withdrawal or the Taliban takeover of the country. 

IMAGE: AP