Kabul blast: Target of US drone strike was in Jalalabad area

Washington DC [US], August 28 (ANI): The ISIS-Khorasan planner of the Kabul blast, who was targeted in the US drone strike, was found in a compound in the Jalalabad area, US media reported on Saturday.

According to CNN, the individual who was targeted was known to the US but new intelligence following the Kabul attack was firmed up to give justification to target him. “The source said surveillance continued on the compound until the target’s wife and children left and then the US conducted the targeted drone strike,” the report said, citing a US defence official.

An ISIS-Khorasan planner was killed in a “counterterrorism” operation conducted by US military forces in the Nangahar province, a day after a terror attack in Kabul killed hundreds of people including 13 US troops. In a statement, US Central Command said US forces conducted the “over-the-horizon” operation on Friday targeting the ISIS-K planner and the initial indication was that they “killed the target”.

“US military forces conducted an over the horizon counterterrorism operation today against an ISIS-K planner the unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangahat province of Afghanistan. The initial indication is that we killed the target,” Navy Capt. Bill Urban said.

“We know of no civilian casualties,” the statement read. On Thursday, a suicide bomber and multiple ISIS-K gunmen killed 13 US service members and at least 169 Afghan civilians in the attack at the Kabul airport.

ISKP on Thursday claimed responsibility for the blast. US President on Thursday vowed to retaliate for a terrorists attack, saying, “We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay”. (ANI)