IEA hoping to wrap up probe into death of al-Qaeda leader in Kabul

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday the Islamic Emirate will soon finalize the investigation into Washington’s claim that al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in Kabul in a US drone strike.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesman for the foreign ministry, said in an interview with CBS that the leadership of the Islamic Emirate was not aware of the presence of Zawahiri in Kabul and that the US should have informed the IEA of its intentions before conducting the drone strike on the Sherpur house in Kabul city center.

“The Islamic Emirate continues to investigate how Zawahiri appeared in Kabul to determine whether the claim made is based on facts or not; the Islamic Emirate will soon finalize the investigation in this case and it will be proven whether there was an al-Qaeda leader in Kabul or if it was just an allegation,” said Balkhi.

“America has the responsibility to share the matter with the authorities and the government of that country before targeting a person who it thinks is a threat to the security of this country,” he added.

Balkhi emphasized that the IEA wants good bilateral relations including the United States, adding that the IEA does not sideline any country in this regard.

“Many countries in the region interact with the Afghan government, and the way the countries interact with Afghanistan will gradually improve, and political relations with the countries will develop further in the future; the Islamic Emirate wants to have good bilateral relations based on mutual interests with all countries including the United States,” said Balkhi.