WASHINGTON – Afghan Taliban forces have eliminated a Daesh leader who planned the deadly bomb attack that killed at least 170 people at Kabul airport amid forces withdrawal back in 2021.
In a statement, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the Daesh leader who led the cell that planned one of the deadliest bombings in Afghanistan was killed by Taliban authorities.
Kirby said the dead militant was ISI-Khorasan chapter leader who was officially directly involved in plotting operations, and now is no longer able to plot or conduct attacks, the White House spokesman said, adding that he was killed in a Taliban operation. He however refrained to share further details.
At least 170 people, including Afghan civilians and US soldiers, were killed after two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the airport in the Afghan capital in August 2021. More than 150 Afghans and scores of US soldiers were also wounded in the airport attack. Several killed in the attack were US Marines.
The first explosion took place at Abbey Gate and was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties.
It occurred when US forces are racing to complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan in wake of a deadline set by President Joe Biden, who said he had ordered the Pentagon to plan how to strike a Daesh affiliate that claimed the responsibility.
