Protests in Kabul against US drone strike that killed Al-Qaeda chief

Massive protests are being in held in the Afghan capital of Kabul against the drone strike that killed US claims killed Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Afghanistan is seeing the drone strike as a violation of its sovereignty.

Thousands gathered in various parts of Kabul carrying anti-America posters and chanted slogans decrying the drone strike.

The protests come a day after the Taliban said that they are investigating “claims” that al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahri was killed in a U.S. drone strike in the Afghan capital.

However, the group insisted in a statement that it “has no knowledge of the arrival and residence” of al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan.

The statement marked the first time the Taliban leadership addressed the U.S. announcement that al-Zawahiri was the target of Sunday's strike. However, despite the Taliban denial of knowledge of al-Zawahri's presence, U.S. officials have said the al-Qaeda head was staying at a Kabul safe house linked to the deputy leader of the Taliban. The strike killed al-Zawahiri when he stepped out onto the safe house's balcony.

His presence in Kabul and the killing have further strained relations between the Taliban and the West, particularly as Afghanistan's rulers seek an urgent infusion of cash to handle the catastrophic collapse of the economy that came after the U.S. withdrawal a year ago.

The Taliban had promised in the Doha Agreement not to harbor al-Qaeda members or those seeking to attack the U.S. In the accord, the U.S. committed to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and not to attack the Taliban.

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