Islamabad Criticizes Taliban Statement That US Used Pakistani Airspace To Kill Al-Zawahiri

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th August, 2022) Islamabad has criticized the statement made by the Taliban (under UN sanctions for terrorism) that the United States used Pakistani airspace to eliminate Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of al-Qaeda (a terrorist group, banned in Russia), saying that the move "defies the norms of responsible diplomatic conduct."

On Sunday, Acting Afghan Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob accused Pakistan of allowing the US' drones in Afghan airspace for a strike on July 31 and urged Islamabad to not use its airspace against Kabul.

"Responding to media queries ... Pakistan has noted, with deep concern, the allegation by Acting Defence Minister of Afghanistan regarding use of Pakistan's air space in the U.

S. counter-terrorism drone operation in Afghanistan. In the absence of any evidence, as acknowledged by the Afghan Minister himself, such conjectural allegations are highly regrettable and defy the norms of responsible diplomatic conduct," the statement read.

Islamabad urged Kabul to "ensure the fulfillment of international commitments made by Afghanistan not to allow the use of its territory for terrorism against any country," it also said.

On August 1, US President Joe Biden announced that al-Zawahiri was killed in a drone strike in Kabul on July 31. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Taliban "grossly" violated the Trump-era Doha agreement by hosting and sheltering the al-Qaeda leader.