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US used ‘flying ginsu’ missile to kill al-Qaeda's al-Zawahiri? 5 details on op
al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a precision drone strike in Afghanistan’s Kabul, US president Joe Biden has confirmed.
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al-Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahiri has been killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan’s Kabul, US president Joe Biden said in his latest address, calling it a moment of justice for families of 2,977 people killed in September 11, 2001 terror attack. Speculation is rife that the United States may have used Hellfire R9X, a warhead-less missile, which is used in finely targeted attacks. Al-Zawahri - born in a prominent Egyptian family - worked as an eye surgeon as a young adult and gradually rose to top of the terror outfit. He was Osama Bin Laden's successor.
Here are five details on the security operation that culminated in the killing of al-Qaeda's al-Zawahiri:
1. The Hellfire R9X first appeared in 2017 when al-Qaeda senior leader Abu al-Khayr al-Masri was killed, according to a report by news agency AP. What suggests the use of the missile is that pictures showed no signs of explosion , the report highlighted. Over time, the missile has earned names like “flying ginsu," after a famous 1980s television commercial for ostensibly Japanese kitchen knives, and “ninja bomb”.
2. In his address, Biden pointed out that there was no harm done to the family members of Zawahiri in the precision strike, and no civilians bore any injuries.
3. Senior Taliban officials were aware of Ayman al-Zawahiri's presence in Kabul, news agency Reuters quoted a senior US administration official as saying. Last year, US troops had left Afghanistan after about two decades in a decision that drew heavy criticism.
4. The operation had a legal basis, the official further added.
5. The operation was planned for weeks and finally given cleared by commander-in-chief Biden.
(With inputs from AP, Reuters)
