Washington: Taliban killed the Islamic State terrorist who was the mastermind behind the 2021 attack at Kabul's international airport that killed 13 US soldiers and several civilians. However, his name has not been revealed yet.

The US announced the terror leader had been killed by the Taliban, a group it fought a nearly two-decade long war against, rather than by American forces points to the limits of the US’ ability to carry out operations in Afghanistan following the withdrawal.

On August 26, 2021, the bombing occurred as U.S. forces attempted to help Americans and Afghans flee after being captured by the Taliban. The 2021 Kabul airport bombing killed 180 people, including 13 US soldiers.

The blast at the Abbey Gate entrance of the Hamid Karzai International Airport left about 170 Afghans and 13 US service members dead during the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.

Over the weekend, the US military began to inform the families of the 11 Marines, the sailor and the soldier who died in the attack that the ISIL (ISIS) leader had been killed. Those family members then shared the information in a private group messaging chat, according to the mother of another Marine.

The Taliban, which has been in control of Afghanistan's government since 2021, is opposed to ISIS-K. There had been hope in Washington that the Taliban’s desire for international recognition and assistance for the country’s impoverished population might moderate their behaviour.

But relations between the US and the Taliban have deteriorated significantly since they imposed new measures banning girls from school and excluding women from working for international aid and health agencies.

However, a line of communication still exists between the two sides.

The senior administration official said that ISIS-K still aspires to extend the reach of its violent operations but so far has not grown strong enough to pose a major threat outside of Afghanistan.