K & P

Al Qaeda chief killed in drone strike: officials

Al Qaeda's operational chief for Afghanistan and Pakistan was killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan.

Afp September 28, 2010

PESHAWAR: Al-Qaeda's operational chief for Afghanistan and Pakistan has been killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan, security officials said Tuesday.

Sheikh Fateh was reportedly given the job in May after Al-Qaeda's purported number three and Osama bin Laden's one-time treasurer Mustafa Abu al-Yazid was killed on May 21, in what officials said appeared to be a drone strike.

Fateh, whom the intelligence officials said was also killed in North Waziristan, is relatively unknown and his name does not feature on the US list of most-wanted terrorists.

Reports of high-profile killings by drone strikes, which the US military as a rule does not confirm, are generally based on intelligence intercepts, with much of the semi-autonomous region off limits on the ground.

Pakistani security officials said the Egyptian was killed on Saturday in a US drone strike on North Waziristan.

"Yes, he has been killed," one Pakistani security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Two other Pakistani intelligence officials confirmed Sheikh Fateh's death, also speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release the information to the media.

"He was head of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan," one official said. Locally, he was known as Abdul Razzaq, the official added.

"He was in a Datsun pick-up. He was accompanied by three local people. Two of them were identified as Haji Niaz and Naimatullah. They were killed in a drone attack on September 25," the official said.

Meanwhile, a drone strike killed four more militants on Tuesday and destroyed a rebel compound in the region, local security officials said.

Earlier in the day the the Wall Street Journal reported that the CIA has stepped up drone attacks against militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas to try to foil a suspected terror plot against European targets.

Drone attacks reached unprecedented levels this month. According to researcher Dr Zeeshanul Hasan Usmani, who monitors drone and suicide attacks in the country, there have been a total of 198 drone attacks since the first hit on June 18, 2004 in South Waziristan Agency.

COMMENTS (8)

Sadia Hussain | 13 years ago | Reply Every state is held responsible for the actions of it subjects and it is no secret that the strings of every other major terrorist ploy can be traced back to Pakistan. Thus we are indeed the breeding ground of terrorism; while this strike was successful an elaborate operation is needed in north wazirsitan agency.

Mansoor Khalid | 13 years ago | Reply This is a big step in the war on terror. Most of the top commanders of this demented terrorists group have either been captured or killed. This also highlights the potential of Pak-US alliance in this war on terror.

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Abbas | 13 years ago | Reply there is no proof that it was Al-qaeeda or or al-jazeera or al whatever's number -3, this is one way of justifying the drone attacks. Media is part of this conspiracy. May Allah help us and guide us to the correct path.

Mohammad Jawed Iqbal | 13 years ago | Reply Its again a sad news about drone attack Pakistani Army capable to every thing against terrorism but drone attacks some time killed innocent people which create hate against America and also its effect on Pakistan because some time a man loss his house his family every thing then he become a Terrorist USA Should consider about it and stop drone attacks and we know Pakistan Army is best to do every thing

faraz | 13 years ago | Reply We dont have control of our own areas but we expect others to respect its soverignty which only exists on paper.

Asad Jamil(mps) | 13 years ago | Reply very sad to hear on daily basis drone attacks they are not just killing terrorist but also common people,and the peoples killed are Pakistani its really embarrassing that we have a strong army but doing nothing for the lifes of those who are in trouble in those areas instead they helping them then there is no reason to have a such army,is not they are pakistani?? we are killing ourselves in the war of others..

Sultan Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply long period, consisting on about nine years has passed but insurgency has not come to its end what is reason behind this? it is a sign of interrogation before the world. Islamists combating with allied forces stationed in Afghanistan declared their insurgency as a holy war(JIhad) and inviting Muslims to come and fight for those occupied a Muslim state so invitation being respected. on the other hand, after 9/11,United States declared Al-qaeda and Talban as terrorists and started military action against them that is still continue. United States is only supper power in the world.drone strikes are being made by it which has killed large number of people including women and children. Objection was raised on it but American command refused to stop it. The war is continued,looks no halt in the near future. More lives are expected to die, It may extend to numberless. At last parties involved in the war would have to come to the negotiating table because it is a last stage of every war history may be consulted in this regard. So United nations should interfere and through a resolution take the parties to the table and stop the killing of human being from both sides otherwise this world organization would lost its credibility.

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply Wonderful news! Go drones!

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