{O/C} {Good evening}
Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri is officially no more.
That's the message U.S. President Joe Biden proudly delivered to his nation after a CIA drone strike in the Afghan capital struck and killed the al-Qaida leader.
{Take SOT}
A wrecking ball was sent shattering the al-Qaeda leader's life.
{Soundbite}
JOE BIDEN, U.S. President:
On Saturday, at my direction, the United States successfully concluded an air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed the emir of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
You know, al-Zawahiri was (Osama) bin Laden's leader.
Now justice has been delivered, and this terrorist leader is no more.
{VO}
U.S. intelligence officials located al-Zawahiri's safe home in downtown Kabul where he'd been holed up. That's where a daring decade-long manhunt culminated with his death, confirmed by CIA aerial reconnaissance.
Biden insists America has the ability to fight fire with fire.
{Soundbite}
People around the world no longer need to fear the vicious and determined killer. The United States continues to demonstrate our resolve and our capacity to defend the American people against those who seek to do us harm.
No matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out.
{VO}
Biden also claimed America meticulously minimised the risk posed to innocent civilians.
For decades, America has sought to weed out al-Qaeda, but its haphazard exit from Afghanistan last year reinvigorated the extremist group.
Al-Zawahiri had never been a household name, but instigated countless atrocities, most notably, the 9/11 attacks.
The death of both heads of the al-Qaeda group tilts the playing field more in America's favour.
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