The Taliban killed the alleged mastermind behind the devastating suicide bombing at Kabul Airport during the chaotic withdrawal of US forces in 2021, according to US sources. The jihadist organized the August 26, 2021 attack and other assassinations for the Islamic State group - Khorasan Province (IS-K), the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) militia, said US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, in Washington on Tuesday.

Kirby did not provide details on the man's identity or when and how he was killed. The "New York Times" reports that it is unclear whether the IS leader was deliberately killed by the Taliban or fell victim to one of the increasing battles between the militant Islamists and IS fighters. His death was solely the responsibility of the Taliban, the US was not involved, the CBS broadcaster quoted an unnamed government official as saying.

The IS-K is at enmity with the Taliban and has carried out several serious attacks in Afghanistan in recent years.

The radical Islamic Taliban seized power in the country again in August 2021 amidst the US and its allies' troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. In the attack on August 26, 2021, a suicide bomber blew himself up in front of one of the entrance gates to the airport in the Afghan capital Kabul, killing 13 US soldiers and at least 170 Afghans.

At the time of the attack, thousands of people tried to board one of the evacuation planes at the Afghan capital's airport, which the United States and other western countries used to bring their citizens and local workers from Afghanistan to safety.

US President Joe Biden, who ordered the withdrawal, had to take harsh criticism for the chaotic conditions during the operation. In a recently published report on the troop withdrawal, however, the Biden administration largely blamed his predecessor Donald Trump for the difficulties during the operation.