The mastermind behind the August 2021 suicide attack near Kabul airport that killed at least 173 people, including 13 American soldiers, was killed by the Taliban, a White House spokesman said Tuesday, confirming media reports. American, reports AFP.

The jihadist, whose identity has not been released, nor the circumstances or date of his death, was one of the leaders of the Islamic State-Khorasan (SI-K) group, who was “directly involved in the preparation of operations similar to the Abbey Gate operations.” The carrier stated this in a statement by the spokesman for the National Security Council of the White House, John Kirby.

He was referring to the August 26, 2021, attack at Abbey Gate, one of three access points to Kabul airport during the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, which drew much criticism.

“He was killed during a Taliban operation,” the spokesman said. “We have made it clear to the Taliban that they have an obligation not to allow terrorists, whether they belong to al-Qaeda or SI-K, to find sanctuary” in Afghanistan.

“I want to emphasize that this development illustrates the ongoing counterterrorism pressure on ISIS in Afghanistan and elsewhere,” a Biden administration official told the Washington Post.

“We see this operation as symbolic of Afghanistan, which has become a difficult environment for terrorists like SI-K who want to attack Americans,” he added.

The Biden administration began calling relatives of American soldiers killed in the attack on Monday to tell them the news, according to the New York Times, which notes that US intelligence agencies received the information in early April.

Images of the chaotic evacuation of Americans and Afghans at the Kabul airport at the end of the summer of 2021 shocked the United States and traveled the world.

On August 30, 2021, one minute before midnight, the last American soldier left the airport of the Afghan capital, 24 hours before the deadline set by the American president for the withdrawal of troops from the country.

The Taliban have already established control over the country.

Source: Agerpres

The withdrawal ended the United States’ longest military intervention since the September 11, 2001, attacks.

According to the US military, it has cost the lives of more than 2,400 US soldiers over almost 20 years.

In early April, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby defended the withdrawal method.

Among other things, the US executive branch has released a document concluding that there is no conceivable “scenario” other than keeping an increased and permanent US military force in the country to fight the Taliban.