Following a counterterrorism operation that resulted in the death of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, the United States on Tuesday advised its people to exercise a “high level of vigilance” while traveling abroad. The US State Department voiced worry about the ongoing possibility of terrorist attacks and “other violent activities” against US citizens and interests abroad in a global notice.
The government warned that “a wide array of tactics, including suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, and explosions,” could be used in the attacks.
U.S. citizens are strongly urged to maintain a high level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness while traveling abroad because terrorist attacks, political violence (including demonstrations), criminal activities, and other security incidents frequently occur without any warning, according to the state department alert.
U.S. citizens abroad are asked to follow local news reports and stay in touch with the closest embassy or consulate, it continued.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s deputy and the new commander of al-Qaeda, was assassinated on July 31 by a US precision attack in Kabul. The US State Department claims that the leader of Al-Qaeda, who was one of the planners of the 9/11 attacks against the US in 2001, had never stopped encouraging his subordinates to strike the US.
Zawahiri’s death was verified by the Taliban, who also denounced the weekend drone attack on Kabul. Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, claimed that an attack on a home violated “international norms.” Al-Zawahiri was the only person killed in the attack, according to US sources, and none of his family members were hurt.
According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, by harboring and protecting the Al-Qaeda leader, the Taliban gravely violated the terms of the Doha Agreement.
“The Taliban blatantly breached the Doha Agreement and repeated guarantees to the world that they would not allow Afghan territory to be exploited by terrorists to harm the security of other nations by harboring and hiding the leader of al Qa’ida in Kabul,” Blinken said in a statement.
