Al-Zawahiri's video goes viral amid suspicions that al-Qaeda has raised its head

(PTI) Beijing, Dt

On the 30th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, the video of al-Qaeda supremo al-Zawahiri has once again gone viral. Al-Zawahiri's video has deepened the mystery as to whether he is alive or dead, as the United States fears the resurgence of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan as the Taliban regains power. In the video, Zawahiri was seen speaking on a number of issues.

17) Amid rumors of his death, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri shown in new 60-minute video, this time offering some evidence that he is not dead - particularly, reference to events after December, when rumors of death surfaced. (A speech from March offered no such proof) pic.twitter.com/IXpz6wIZvh

- Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) September 11, 2021

Al-Qaeda's one-time surveyor Ayman al-Zawahiri was reportedly killed several months ago. A video of al-Zawahiri marking the 30th anniversary of Saturday's 9/11 terrorist attacks has caused a great deal of controversy around the world. The Intelligence Group site (SITE), which monitors the online activities of terrorist groups, said in a video released by al-Qaeda that al-Zawahiri spoke on a number of topics, including "the Jewishization of Jerusalem."

In the video, however, al-Zawahiri makes no mention of the Taliban's occupation of Afghanistan. However, he once again mentioned Afghanistan and talked about the return of the US from Kabul. Rita Katz, director of the Site Intelligence Group, said al-Zawahiri had referred to an attack on a Russian military base in Syria by the al-Qaeda-linked Hurras al-Din terrorist group, which was claimed on January 1, 2011. On Zawahiri's reference to Afghanistan, Katz said it could be long before the Doha Accords were signed.

Ayman al-Zawahiri, the then-head of al-Qaeda, was reportedly killed in the late 1990s by an illness. No video or evidence of his life has surfaced since then. However, his death has not been confirmed yet. After Osama bin Laden was killed, al-Qaeda's command fell into the hands of al-Zawahiri.

The Taliban rulers hoisted their flag at the Rashtrapati Bhavan at a time when the United States was mourning the 9/11 attacks. Ahmadullah Muttani, head of the Taliban's cultural commission, said Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund of the Taliban's interim government had hoisted a Quran-imported flag at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The flags point to the fact that the Taliban government has now begun operations in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, many popular Afghan musicians and singers have fled Kabul to Pakistan for fear that the Taliban may ban music again as the Taliban tightens its grip on Afghanistan. "If we don't leave our business, the Taliban will kill us," said Pashun Manawar, an Afghan singer. All music programs in Afghanistan have been canceled since the Taliban took control of Kabul. The music industry has collapsed due to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and musicians and singers have had to seek refuge in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Taliban's new government's higher education minister, Abdul Bani Haqqani, announced on Sunday that girls would be able to continue their studies at universities. However, they do not allow co-education of boys and girls. Classes for boys and girls will be different in universities and Islamic dress code will be mandatory for them. The Taliban claimed that they would not raise any barriers to the study of women under Islamic law this time.