Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday, on the one year anniversary of the US exit from Afghanistan, that the United States' work against terrorism is not done
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th August, 2022) Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday, on the one year anniversary of the US exit from Afghanistan, that the United States' work against terrorism is not done.
"Still, we know this work is not done," Austin said in a statement commemorating the end of the US war in Afghanistan. "We must keep a relentless focus on counterterrorism - and we are. Just a few weeks ago, the United States delivered justice to Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda (banned in Russia) and Osama bin Laden's deputy at the time of the 9/11 attacks."
Austin highlighted the US military's has recent operations this year to take out key leaders of the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia).
The Taliban (under UN sanctions for terrorism) took power in Afghanistan in August of 2021, triggering the collapse of the US-backed government and accelerating Washington's troop pullout.
On August 31, 2021, US forces completed their withdrawal from the country, ending the 20-year-long military presence.
