The White House insisted on Wednesday that the US had absolutely no involvement in the Taliban-led operation that led to the killing of the alleged mastermind of the deadly attack on the international airport in the Afghan capital, Kabul, amid a chaotic withdrawal of the US military. from the country after almost 20 years of war, in August 2021.

“We had nothing to do with it,” John Kirby, the spokesman for the US presidency’s National Security Council, told the press, denying that Washington had provided information or any assistance, direct or indirect, to the Taliban in this operation.

On Tuesday night, US authorities confirmed the death of the jihadist behind the suicide bomber attack, which killed 173 people, including 13 US servicemen.

The man, whose identity has not been released, was a senior member of the so-called Islamic State in Khorasan (ISIS) and was killed during a “Taliban operation,” officials said, without elaborating.

The Taliban have not publicly commented on the operation.

Mr. Kirby also did not make clear how American intelligence agencies were able to gather information about his death.

“There is no question that it is a good thing that this man is no longer able to prepare, plan and direct attacks,” he limited himself to saying.

According to the spokesman, the development shows the effectiveness of the new American strategy in the fight against terrorism.

“We’ve worked really hard to increase our ability to work remotely after leaving Afghanistan,” he noted, adding that this is not just about planning and conducting strikes from outside the country, but also “to we are able to see, to know and to observe things.”

On July 31, 2022, US forces killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri on the balcony of his residence in the Afghan capital in a drone strike near the White House.

“We’ve proven, I think, that even if it’s more difficult in certain locations, not being in the field doesn’t make it impossible,” said Mr. Kirby, who said “it’s not necessary to stay in any particular field of operations.” to pursue terrorists.”

The August 26, 2021, attack took place outside Kabul’s international airport amid the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, which has sparked intense criticism.

Images of the chaos during the withdrawal of Americans, other foreigners and Afghans shocked public opinion in the US and went around the world.

The withdrawal ended the longest war in which the US has been involved in its history since the attacks of September 11, 2001.

After the Taliban retook power in Afghanistan, days before the end of the operation, the US has had only limited communications with the de facto government and maintains no diplomatic presence on Afghan soil.