"In the face of the Taliban’s unwillingness or inability to abide by their commitments, we will continue to support the Afghan people with robust humanitarian assistance and to advocate for the protection of their human rights, especially of women and girls," Blinken said in a statement.
US President Joe Biden announced earlier on Monday that a precision drone strike by the US had killed Zawahiri, who had helped orchestrate the 9/11 attacks, in Kabul. “Now justice has been delivered, and this terrorist leader is no more. No matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out,” he said.
The killing is likely to fuel tension between the US and the Taliban.
Washington and the Taliban had signed the Doha Agreement in February, 2020. The deal paved the way for the withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan. The Taliban, on the other hand, pledged to end violence and ensure that Afghanistan would not become a safe haven for terrorists.