Al Qaeda chief of operations killed in Pakistan: US official
US officials believe al Qaeda chief of operations Abu Hafs al Shahri was killed in Pakistan earlier in the week.
According to a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, al Shahri’s death is yet another ‘serious blow’ to al Qaeda’s core group in Pakistan. Al Shahri played a “key operational and administrative role for the group,” the US official added.
Al Shahri’s death would also pose a challenge for Ayman al Zawahiri, long-time al Qaeda number two and believed to be at the helm of the organisation after Bin Laden’s death in Abbottabad. On Wednesday, a Pentagon official said he believed al Zawahiri was still in Pakistan, following the release of a video in which Osama bin Laden’s successor blasts the United States.
“We have no information to indicate that he is anywhere else than in Pakistan,” Pentagon spokesman George Little said. Speaking to The Express Tribune, the US official said that Abu Hafs al Shahri was a contender to assume al Qaeda’s second in command Atiyah Abd al Rahman’s duties. Shahri “coordinated al Qaeda’s anti-US plots in the region, and worked closely with the Pakistani Taliban to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.”
The US official did not comment on the circumstances leading to al Shahri’s death, however earlier this week on September 11, the media reported that at least three people killed in a drone strike in North Waziristan. On August 22, another US drone strike in North Waziristan led to the death of al Qaeda second in command Atiyah Abd al Rahman.
Another senior US administration official confirmed al Shahri’s death in Waziristan to The Express Tribune. “Abu Hafs’ death will further degrade al Qaeda’s ability to recover from the death of Atiyah in August because of his operations experience and connections within the group. Abu Hafs’ death removes a key threat inside Pakistan, where he collaborated closely with Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan to conduct coordinated attacks.” (Additional input from AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, September 16th, 2011.
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@all. There is no Al-Quida nor Ikhwanul-Muslimeen. It is only america and india backed force, calling themselves TTP or AL-Quida. We must understand this drama and should stand against it.
thts wht terriorists r doing ...do u knw there r more terrorists in India then in Pakistan...they r not attacking India ..bcoz Indian govt has signed a pact wid them .. Shiv sins he is not a real terrorist but the way he was threatening Pakistani cricket team ..proves tht he is deeply involved in politics and revenge stuff ... He directly announced tht ' Pak team will need permission from me or else they will hve to face me ..'
Well but Indian govt never did anything to him...Though they knew shiv sina's intention !!
Dude ..Pakistan is blessed with a nice geographical location...this thing tempts America..Israel as well as Al Qaeda ...USA wanna use pak's key position as their base in fighting terrorism & then most probably helping Israelis in future ... Whereas Talibans/Al Qaeda wanna take over so tht they can prove their influence and power all over the World !!
Pakistan is stuck btw these two situations...if v get a good leader or most probably some 1 from our youth ...then definately thinks will change (Insh'a Allah)
@Real Hyder: If Osama was not killed in Pakistan, then why did TTP and Al Qaeda retaliated by attacking Pakistan (Fronteir Corp academy, Naval base etc etc) and claimed it for revenge of Osama's killing???
@Noor: The fault line is in Pakistan my dear. Near Bannu there is a village with thousands of Saudis living there. In North waziristan, Uzbeks and Chechens are in thousands. None of them registered. Of course they were brought here with US backing during afghan war but now they are killing us. For them everyone against them is Kafir and they vow to kill them or else they need their style of government. If these TTP and Al Qaeda elements are so innocent, then why have they targetted Pakistan after Osama's killing in which Pakistan had nothing to do.
alright !!!!!
@ lady gaga : y do we use cool short forms for terrorists? KSM !! i think we should be brave enough to spell their full names .. ok KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMAD = now let me tell u something about him... this man was born to Pakistani parents in Kuwait, his brought up was in Kuwait..and he did his high school from there .. later on he went to USA and graduated in bachelors of Science.. It is said tht he belonged to a Balochi family ... but all of his details prove that he knows little about PAKISTAN ..bcoz of his brought up in 'Kuwait'
for example my parents are pakistani,but my brought up was in Britain...I am involved in criminal activities such as 'slapping British people' (thts also known as 'BATTERY.') and ' stealing their wallets..' so what do u think..which courts will deal this case PAKISTANI COURTS ? OR UK COURTS? i am using resources of UK ..but i am attracted to know about Pakistan coz of my ancestors... (THIS WAS JUST AN EXAMPLE)
Miss gaga : u tend to follow news alot.. but please follow the true facts even..media has ruined the image of my country but in actual the fault lies some where else...
THANKS
The timing of these killings is suspicious. Gen Kayani is going to meet the US army chief in a few hours in Spain. Is Pakistani army trying to make amends after being caught in bed with OBL by Americans? The real test would come when the army takes action against more known terrorists in Pakistan.
Drones are biggest terror for terrorists. If Pak army is unable to figh them then let the drones do it. America should increase the intensity in the 'safe havens'
@Noor: I'm not a big fan of Pakistani political parties either. They also pose substantial threat to the country's future due to their backwardness, but the threat from taliban is immediate and lethal. I'd compare political parties to morbid obesity. It may increase the probability of a heart attack whereas the taliban is comparable to a continuous bites from poisonous snakes.
@Real Hyder: "Why these leaders are killed by USA only? and in Pakistan?" Because we are the one who have them with impunity and protection. We don't kill our protected buddies as it is against our 'Isalam' otherwise we know where they are and why they are! And now they are our strategic assets, we live on them.
@Noor: correct no pakistani was involved in the hijacking but the masterminds were pakistani KSM etc... also the london and madrid bombings also originated from pakistan
@Real Hyder: the answer is because we are not doing the job ourselves - we are to busy providing 5 star homes to osama uncle
@SaudiRules: AND thinking deeply about deepening the strategic depth!
Its the part of 9/11 drama which Zions are directing, still to be continue
Thank you america for doing the job of our brave army! kakhi are too busy dealing in real estate.
@Majid: Oh really ? Mr majid wht else do u think abt american policies? Well ...biggest enemies of Pakistan r not these talibans but MQM , PPP, ANP and all d political parties..but I am sure America will keep on increasing new enemies of Pakistan !! Remember no Pakistan was involved in tht 9/11 !!!
Hey I have a question.
Why these leaders are killed by USA only? and in Pakistan?
You think it is not a question?
Go drones go! So much for Imran Khan, the PTI, and them trying to tell innocent Pakistanis that this isn't "our war". Go back to focusing on doing good deeds by starting more cancer hospitals Imran, your talents would be better used there rather than leading Pakistan down the well to doom.
Thank you America for doing for taking out our enemies for us, and that too free of cost. Keep these drones coming until the last of these barbarians is dead or has come to his senses.
Hopefully this will reduce suicide bombings in Pakistan.
Who the hell was he? When will US run out of alphabet soup to concoct all these names. This all seems like a baloney to me.
Good riddance! Keep those drones coming.