Publish dateSunday 25 October 2020 - 12:03
Story Code : 221346
Top al-Qaeda leader killed in eastern Afghanistan: Officials
A senior al-Qaeda commander has been killed by Afghan security forces in the central province of Ghazni, security officials said.
The Afghan intelligence service said in a tweet on Saturday that Abu Muhsin al-Masri had been killed by Afghan Special Forces in a recent operation.
The National Directorate of Security (NDS) said al-Masri was al-Qaeda's number two commander for the Indian subcontinent.
The NDS did not immediately share more details.
The senior al-Qaeda commander had been listed among the most wanted terrorists by the US Department of Justice since 2018.
In a statement Saturday, Director of the US National Counterterrorism Center Chris Miller confirmed al-Masri's death, saying his removal "highlights the diminishing effectiveness of the terrorist organization."
Al-Masri had been charged in the United States with having provided material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization and conspiracy to kill US nationals.
Media sources, citing the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said al-Masri was an Egyptian national who also went by the name Husam Abd-al-Ra'uf.
The FBI declined to comment on the news of al-Masri’s death.
Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed some 200 al-Qaeda militants were still operating in Afghanistan.
In addition to al-Qaeda, other groups such as the Taliban and Daesh have militants in the war-torn country.
Afghanistan has been occupied by US-led foreign forces since 2001. Despite the occupation, many parts of the country remain plagued by violence and militancy.
 
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