US officials reported on Tuesday that the leader of the Islamic State militant group responsible for the August 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport, which resulted in the deaths of 13 US troops and approximately 170 Afghans during the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, was killed in a ground assault by the Taliban.

At first, neither the US nor the Taliban were aware of the leader’s death, which occurred during a series of battles earlier this month between the Taliban and the Islamic State’s affiliate in southern Afghanistan.

However, in recent days, US intelligence has confirmed with “high confidence” that the leader was indeed killed, the Associated Press reported.

While the US military has begun informing the families of the deceased service members, one Marine’s father stated that the death of his son’s killer brings little comfort.

Officials spoke anonymously about the matter to discuss intelligence issues.

Written by staff