Al-Qaeda has released a new video of its leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in which he denies rumors of his own death. In this one-hour video, Ayman al-Zawahiri discusses the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, but does not mention the Taliban regaining control of Kabul.
According to the Iraqi Al-Sharqiya network, three people were injured in three explosions in the Khanafsa area northwest of Karbala. The first bomb exploded near a police patrol, the second in an agricultural tractor and the third in a street.
On the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the United States was safer than it was 20 years ago. "It is no coincidence that there have been no attacks in the United States in the last 20 years," he added. "Great experts work together to ensure that all threat flows are tracked."
Former United States President George W. Bush said at a memorial service marking the 20th anniversary of 9/11 that he was "concerned" about the future of the United States. He added that the days of unity among the American people after the 9/11 attacks "seem far away."
The Associated Press reports from satellite imagery that the United States has withdrawn its most advanced missile defense system (Todd) as well as the Patriot missile defense system from Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has faced airstrikes by Yemeni Houthi militants.