US drone strike killed 2 'high profile' ISIS-K planners in Afghanistan, claims Pentagon

Two days after the ISIS-K launched a bloody attack at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan, the US claims to have successfully killed two 'high profile' targets from the terrorist group. Two high-profile ISIS-K members were killed in a US drone strike on Friday, 27 August 2021, and a third was wounded in a single mission, the Pentagon said.

Pentagon press secretary John F. Kirby said the targetted ISIS-K members were planners and facilitators for the organization near the Nangarhar Province in Afghanistan. The officials claim that the alleged planner was travelling with an 'associate' when he was targetted by the US forces.

However, the officials announced that they will not be releasing the names of the ISIS targets who were killed in these strikes. 

Navy Capt. Bill Urban, a Central Command spokesman, said in a statement, "U.S. military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation today against an ISIS-K planner. The unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangahar Province of Afghanistan. Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties."

During a press briefing, deputy director of the Joint Staff For Regional Operations, US Maj Gen Hank Taylor also informed that there were zero civilian casualties in the mission

"I can confirm, as more information has come in, that two high-profile ISIS targets were killed, and one was wounded. And we know of zero civilian casualties," Taylor said.

"Without specifying any future plans, I will say that we will continue to have the ability to defend ourselves and to leverage over the horizon capability to conduct counterterrorism operations as needed," he further added.

The American airstrike was in retaliation to the twin blasts that took place at the Kabul airport on Thursday, 26 August 2021, in which 13 US service members were killed along with at least 169 Afghans. 

Pentagon: Threat in Kabul remains 'active'

Kirby said the threat to US military personnel at the airport in Kabul remains “active” and it would conclude its withdrawal of troops on August 31 as scheduled.

“The threats are still very real, they’re very dynamic and we are monitoring them in real-time,” said Kirby, hinting at possible additional attacks from the Islamic State group.

“Our mission to continue evacuating those as required and to meet the mission requirement by August 31 is what commanders are executing. We will maintain the ability to defend ourselves and our operations all the way through," Kirby said. 

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden had issued a strong statement over the Kabul blasts, vowing to avenge the deaths of the 13 servicemen and make those responsible for the incident pay. Addressing the nation from the White House, Biden also asserted that the US would continue to evacuate its citizens and the mission will go on.