The Tailban have killed an Islamic State group leader who masterminded the Kabul airport suicide bombing that left 13 US service members dead.
The US military informed the families of the 11 marines, the sailor and the soldier killed in the blast during the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
About 170 Afghans were also killed in the bombing outside Hamid Karzai International Airport on 26 August 2021.
Family members of the US personnel shared the information in a private messaging chat group, according to one marine’s mother.
The account from the families was confirmed by US officials, who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
The IS leader, whose identity has not yet been released, was killed in southern Afghanistan in early April.
The Taliban were conducting a series of operations against the Islamic State group, according to one of the officials.
At the time, the Taliban were not aware of the identity of the person they killed, the official added.
Image: Coffin with the remains of Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover is carried at Dover Air Force Based in Delaware. Pic: AP
‘It’s not going to bring Taylor back’
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The attack at Abbey Gate took place as thousands of Afghans tried to board crowded flights to flee the country after the Taliban’s takeover.
At the time, the UK, the US and other nations were carrying out the evacuation of thousands of citizens.
Darin Hoover, the father of staff sergeant Darin Taylor Hoover who died in the attack, said the killing of the unidentified Islamic State group leader does nothing to help them.
He said: “Whatever happens, it’s not going to bring Taylor back and I understand that.
“About the only thing his mom and I can do now is be an advocate for him. All we want is the truth. And we’re not getting it. That’s the frustrating part.”
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Afghan withdrawal ‘a catastrophe’
His son was among service members who were screening thousands of Afghans trying to board one of the flights out of the country.
Mr Hoover said he and his son’s mother, Kelly Henson, have spent the past year and a half grieving the death of the 31-year-old and praying for accountability from Joe Biden’s administration for the handling of the withdrawal.
He added that the marines provided only limited information to him on Tuesday and did not identify the leader or give the circumstances of his death.
The 2021 blast came hours after western officials warned of a major attack, urging people to leave the airport.
But many Afghans were desperate to escape the country in the last few days of an American-led evacuation before the US officially ended its 20-year presence in the country.
The Afghanistan-based offshoot of the Islamic State, is the Taliban’s most bitter enemy and top threat militarily.
The group has continued to carry out attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, especially against the country’s minority groups.
Israeli forces killed two Palestinian men in the West Bank after they appeared to be surrendering.
Palestinians said the killings, which were captured on video and shown on two Arab TV channels, were carried out “in cold blood”.
In the video, the men were seen exiting a building and lying on the ground in front of Israeli forces in the northern West Bank city of Jenin.
Both men lifted their T-shirts and held their hands in the air, apparently to show they were not carrying weapons or explosives.
The soldiers then appeared to order the men back inside the building before they were shot.
A Reuters journalist in the area saw the men leave the building, appearing to surrender, and later, after hearing shots fired, saw Israeli forces standing near what appeared to be a lifeless body.
The men were identified as al Muntasir Abdullah, 26, and Yousef Asasa, 37, by Palestinian authorities.
Image: Footage of the incident has been broadcast on Arab TV channels
What has Israel said about the incident?
A joint statement between the Israeli Defence Forces and Israeli police said: “Earlier this evening (Thursday), during an Israel Border Police and IDF operation in the area of Jenin, the forces operated to apprehend wanted individuals who had carried out terror activities, including hurling explosives and firing at security forces.
“The wanted individuals were affiliated with a terror network in the area of Jenin.
“The forces entered the area, enclosed the structure in which the suspects were located, and initiated a surrender procedure that lasted several hours. Following the use of engineering tools on the structure, the two suspects exited.
“Following their exit, fire was directed toward the suspects.
“The incident is under review by the commanders on the ground, and will be transferred to the relevant professional bodies.”
Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the military and police unit involved in the shooting had his “full backing”.
“The fighters acted exactly as expected of them – terrorists should die!” he wrote on X.
Image: A Reuters journalist captured images from near the scene. Pic: Reuters
‘An outright extrajudicial killing’
But Palestinians and human rights groups say Israeli investigations in such incidents yield few results, with Israeli troops rarely prosecuted.
The Palestinian prime minister’s office in Ramallah also accused Israel of executing the men “in cold blood”, calling the shooting “an outright extrajudicial killing in blatant violation of international humanitarian law”.
Yuli Novak, the executive director of B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organisation, said: “The execution documented today is the result of an accelerated process of dehumanisation of Palestinians and the complete abandonment of their lives by the Israeli regime.
“In Israel, there is no mechanism that acts to stop the killing of Palestinians or is capable of prosecuting those responsible.”
Israel’s military has scaled up its military operations in the West Bank since the October 7 Hamas attack, which triggered the war in Gaza.
Since October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to B’Tselem, which said the perpetrators were “granted full impunity by Israel”.
Donald Trump has warned US action against suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers will move to the land “very soon”.
American forces have carried out at least 21 strikes on boats it claims were carrying narcotics to its shores over the last few months.
The US has accused the South American country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, of being involved in the drugs trade – a claim he denies.
Venezuela has said the attacks, which have killed more than 80 people, amount to murder.
Image: Mr Trump made the comments while in Florida for Thanksgiving. Pic: Reuters
‘We warned them,’ says Trump
America’s most advanced aircraft carrieris among the ships that have been deployed to the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific as part of Operation Southern Spear.
Mr Trump said on Thursday he was preparing to significantly ramp up the response.
“You probably noticed that people aren’t wanting to be delivering by sea, and we’ll be starting to stop them by land also,” he told military service members in a call.
“The land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.”
“We warned them to stop sending poison to our country,” Mr Trump added.
The US has released videos of boats being targeted, but hasn’t provided evidence – such as photos of their cargo – to support the smuggling claims.
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Three killed as US strikes another alleged drug boat
The Pentagon has sought to justify the strikes by labelling the drug gangs as foreign terrorist organisations – putting them on par with the likes of al Qaeda and Hamas.
This week it formally designated Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns) as such, and said the group was headed by Mr Maduro and “other high-ranking individuals” from his regime.
Another Venezuelan drugs group, Tren de Aragua, was designated a terror organisation by the US in January.
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Mr Maduro – seen by most countries as a dictator who’s cheated elections – has accused the US of “fabricating” a war to overthrow him and install a more favourable government.
Venezuelan officials have also claimed Mr Trump’s true motivation is access to the country’s plentiful oil reserves and other natural resources such as gold and diamonds.
Experts say Mr Maduro, 63, could use oil as a bargaining chip in any future negotiations.
Mr Trump has said previously he would be open to talks – but that prospect seems unlikely, with the Venezuelan leader wielding a sword this week as he vowed to “defend every inch of this blessed land from imperialist threat”.
Police said a passer-by who made a tourniquet to stem the man’s bleeding had probably saved his life.
Switzerland’s foreign affairs office didn’t name the victims – who are both believed to be in their 20s – but confirmed they were Swiss citizens.
The pair are said to have arrived the night before, camping nearby before going for a swim with dolphins at dawn – a time when sharks are more active.
The man suffered major wounds to his thigh after trying to fight off the shark and dragging his partner more than 50m back to shore, reported Sky News Australia.
The woman died on the sand but call handlers instructed the passer-by how to fashion a tourniquet from a swimsuit in order to treat the man.
Image: Early assessments indicate a bull shark may be responsible. File pic: iStock
New South Wales Ambulance superintendent Josh Smyth said the backpacker’s quick thinking was “heroic” and created valuable time for them to reach the remote, unpatrolled beach.
Sky News Australia said initial indications are a large, mature bull shark may be responsible.
The beach has been closed while drones scour the area and drumlines have been laid in the hope of capturing the shark.