KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan’s intelligence agency said on Tuesday they had killed a senior regional Al Qaeda member in southwestern Afghanistan, accusing the insurgent Taliban of harbouring him. Under a deal with the United States, signed in February, the Taliban agreed to cut ties with international militant groups including Al Qaeda. Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security said in a statement they had killed the Al Qaeda leader during an operation in Afghanistan’s Farah province where he was “given a safe haven and protection” by the Taliban. The Taliban, in response to a request for comment, said they were investigating the issue. The United States is due to pull out its troops by May under a deal with the Taliban, subject to security guarantees while the insurgent group holds talks with the Afghan government in Doha to broker a peace deal. It was not immediately clear how an incoming U.S. administration led by President-elect Joe Biden would treat the deal, though most analysts expect the United States to continue to abide by the agreement.