Al-Qaeda leader killed in Afghanistan

Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda has been killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan.

The strike was part of a counter-terrorism operation by the CIA in Kabul.

Al-Zawahiri was one of America's most wanted terrorists, having planned the 9/11 attacks with Osama Bin Laden. Zawahiri took over the leadership of al-Qaeda after Bin Laden died in 2011.

A Taliban spokesman said the US operation was a clear violation of international principles.

"Such actions are a repetition of the failed experiences of the past 20 years and are against the interests of the United States of America, Afghanistan and the region," the spokesman added.

Zawahiri's death comes nearly a year after US troops withdrew from Afghanistan.

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