The Taliban has said it did not know Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was living in the Afghan capital of Kabul and warned the United States to not repeat the drone strike.
US officials said Zawahiri was killed with a missile fired from a drone while he stood on a balcony at his Kabul hideout on Sunday.
His death is the biggest blow to the militant group since US Navy SEALs shot dead his predecessor Osama bin Laden more than a decade ago.
"The government and the leadership wasn't aware of what is being claimed, nor any trace there," said Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban's designated United Nations representative said, in a statement.
"An investigation is underway now to find out about the veracity of the claim."
He added the results of the investigation would be shared publicly.
Taliban leaders have remained largely tight-lipped about the drone strike and have not confirmed the presence or death of Zawahiri in Kabul.
Referring to the drone strike, the Taliban said, "if such incidents are repeated again and if the territory of Afghanistan is violated then responsibility for any consequences will be on United States."
Top Taliban leaders have been holding lengthy discussions about how to respond to the situation, three sources in the group said.
How the Taliban react could have significant repercussions as the group seeks international legitimacy and access to billions of dollars in frozen funds, following their defeat of a US-backed government a year ago.
Zawahiri, an Egyptian doctor, was closely involved in the September 11 attacks on the US in 2001 and was one of the world's most wanted men.
His death in Kabul raised questions about whether he received sanctuary from the Taliban, who had assured the US as part of a 2020 agreement on the withdrawal of US-led forces that they would not harbour other militant groups.
Shaheen said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the name the Taliban use for the country and their government, was committed to the agreement, signed in the Qatari capital, Doha.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Taliban had "grossly violated" the agreement by hosting and sheltering Zawahiri.
ABC/Reuters
