
A US drone strike targeted a senior Al Qaida leader in northeastern Afghanistan and his deputy on Sunday, a senior US military official said.
The strike in Kunar province targeted Farouq Al Qahtani, Al Qaida’s emir for northeastern Afghanistan, and his deputy Bilal Al Mutaybi, the official said.
The US military believes the men were killed but has not confirmed the strike was successful.
“We feel pretty confident,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.
The Pentagon has been tracking Al Qahtani for years. Military officials had him in their sights in 2012 and almost conducted a strike then, but the mission was scrapped at the last minute because of the risk of civilian casualties
Al Qahtani and his deputy were in Hilgal village in Kunar’s Ghazi Abad district, officials said. They were in two separate buildings a few hundred metres apart and were targeted almost simultaneously with multiple drones.
Provincial spokesman Abdul Ghani Mosamem told AFP at least 15 insurgents were killed, including two Arabs. A number of Pakistani Taliban fighters were also among the fatalities, he said.
An Afghan intelligence official in the province also confirmed two Arabs were killed in the strikes.
Al Qahtani and Al Mutaybi are well-known senior Al Qaida commanders in Kunar, and had been actively involved in recruiting local young people for the group
source : gulfnews
GMT 16:26 2018 Wednesday ,29 August
Morocco, Cuba Start 'Unprecedented and Historic Era' in their RelationsGMT 16:13 2018 Wednesday ,29 August
Morocco, Dominican Republic Discuss Means to Promote CooperationGMT 18:51 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Tensions mount in Rohingya camps ahead of planned relocation to MyanmarGMT 18:47 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Macron shares African outrage on Trump’s vulgar languageGMT 18:41 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Jordan urges Pence to rebuild trust after Jerusalem pivotGMT 18:37 2018 Sunday ,21 January
UN Security Council to discuss Syria on MondayGMT 18:23 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Iraqi court sentences to death German woman who joined DaeshGMT 18:19 2018 Sunday ,21 January
Turkish state media say Turkey’s ground forces have entered Syrian Kurdish enclave
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor