Reports suggest that the Taliban killed the senior ISIS group leader who orchestrated a suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport in August 2021 during a security operation earlier this month.
Overview
The father of one of the 13 US marines killed in the attack said that American authorities informed families about the death of the ISIS leader over the weekend.
Three American officials and a senior congress aide also confirmed the news. However, they did not divulge any further information about the identity of the ISIS leader.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby announced that the ISIS “mastermind” had been killed, marking another loss in the ISIS’ “high profile leadership.” He added that the US had “made clear to the Taliban that it is their responsibility to ensure that they give no safe haven to terrorists.”
Today, as House Speaker, I was proud to sign HR 5142, to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 13 Servicemembers who died in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021 during the evacuation of citizens of the United States & Afghan allies at Hamid Karzai International Airport. pic.twitter.com/nxxjuRKENz
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) November 19, 2021
The leader was reportedly killed in South Afghanistan earlier this month after the Taliban launched an operation targeting ISIS. The Taliban forces were unaware of the person’s identity until he died.
No other information on the attack was given to the families of the deceased US servicemen.
Kabul Airport Attack
The blast had occurred outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport, killing 170 Afghans and 13 American military personnel. It happened as the US-led Western forces were struggling to withdraw from Afghanistan, an operation widely criticised as hasty and chaotic.
The suicide bomber who carried out the attack, Abdul Rehman Al-Loghri, had been released from prison days after the Taliban took over the country.
The death of the ISIS leader brings some closure to the families of the deceased, who have been critical of the Biden administration’s handling of the withdrawal. Nevertheless, the families believe that the news is insufficient to assure future generations of service members regarding their safety.
On August 26, 2021, thirteen service members gave their last full measure of devotion at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) August 26, 2022
Today, we remember their service and sacrifices, which enabled the evacuation of nearly 130,000 people out of Afghanistan.
Semper Fidelis. pic.twitter.com/O44YUL07vc
The news about the Kabul attack comes as US President Joe Biden announced his bid for re-election in 2024. However, the developments have provided an impetus to criticism against Biden, particularly surrounding the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Growth of ISIS in Afghanistan
While the developments give some respite to the Taliban’s insistence that it is curbing terrorist groups on Afghan soil, ISIS remains its most significant military threat. With 4,000 members, ISIS has carried out several attacks since the Taliban’s resurgence to power.