Soon after United States President Joe Biden's announcement on the US having killed al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, China said on Tuesday, 2 August, that it is against all forms of terrorism but at the same time opposed to "double standards" on counter-terrorism operations and at the "expense of sovereignty" of other countries.
"China is always firmly against terrorism. We are actively involved in the international counter-terrorism operations," Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying said.
"At the same time, we believe there should be no double standards on counter-terrorism and all forms of terrorism should be fought," she added.
"Counter-terrorism cooperation should not be conducted at the expense of the sovereignty of other countries," Hua said.
President Biden, in a televised address, had said that the US had killed al-Zawahiri in a drone airstrike in Afghanistan's capital Kabul. The airstrike was the first US attack in Afghanistan since American forces withdrew last year.
Barack Obama Hails Biden's Decision
Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama said that he hoped this would bring peace to those who "suffered at the hands of al-Qaeda."
"More than 20 years after 9/11, one of the masterminds of that terrorist attack and Osama bin Laden’s successor as the leader of al-Qaeda – Ayman al-Zawahiri – has finally been brought to justice," he said on Twitter.
While adding that the news was proof "that it's possible to root out terrorism without being at war in Afghanistan," he said that this was a tribute to President Biden and all those "who were able to take al-Zawahiri out without a single civilian casualty."
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, however, condemned the move as a violation of "international principles" and the 2020 agreement on the US troop withdrawal.
'Will Continue to Act Against Those Who Threaten Us': Antony Blinken
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the move was testimony of the Biden administration's "commitment to act against terrorist threats emanating from Afghanistan."
"The world is safer following the death of al Qa’ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. The U.S. will continue to act against those who threaten our country, our people, or our allies (sic)," he said.
'Step Towards a Safer World': Canada PM Justin Trudeau
Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, too, commended the incident and said that the death of Ayman al-Zawahiri "is a step towards a safer world."
"Canada will keep working with our global partners to counter terrorist threats, promote peace and security, and keep people here at home and around the world safe," he added on Twitter.
'Leader of World Terrorism Dead': Saudi Arabia
Lauding the move, Saudi Arabia said in a statement that, it welcomed the killing of "one of the leaders of terrorism that led the planning and execution of heinous terrorist operations in the United States, Saudi Arabia and a number of other countries of the world."
"Thousands of innocent people of different nationalities and religions, including Saudi citizens, were killed," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Further, the statement stressed the "importance of strengthening cooperation and concerted international efforts to combat and eradicate terrorism."
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