Question mark over fate of Al Qaeda man

Published November 2, 2008

MIRAMSHAH, Nov 1: Conflicting reports are emerging about the killing of an Iraqi Al Qaeda commander in the attack on Friday night by a US drone in North Waziristan. Some locals said that Abu Akash had left the place prior to the attack, but others insisted that he had been killed.

They said that at least four people had been killed when two missiles destroyed the house of Maulvi Amanullah in Asori village.

The locals said Abu Akash had been living in Mirali sub-division for the past few years, leading a corps of militants, including Arabs and Central Asians.

Unconfirmed reports said that Abu Akash, who was reportedly spotted in the area, had narrowly escaped while his four colleagues had been killed in the attack.

The locals said that an unidentified Arab national was among the dead.

Earlier, local and intelligence sources told media that 20 people, including Abu Akash, were killed when the US drone fired two missiles on the house of the local clergy in Asori, near Mirali town.

They said the dead had been buried in a local graveyard.

AFP adds: An Egyptian Al Qaeda operative, described by the United States as the terror network’s propaganda chief, was killed in the strike in North Waziristan, security officials said.

Abu Jihad al-Masri was among several rebels killed when two missiles fired by a US drone hit a truck.

Opinion

Editorial

Lawless city
22 Sep, 2023

Lawless city

A GRIM milestone has just been passed in Karachi. The recent death of a teenage robbery victim brings the number of...
Another Sharif trip
22 Sep, 2023

Another Sharif trip

THE sudden arrival of former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif in London, a mere 48 hours after he touched down in...
Delayed elections
Updated 22 Sep, 2023

Delayed elections

If ECP wishes to affirm that it is serious, it should start moving on all pending matters so that the possibility of any further delay is minimised.
What next?
Updated 21 Sep, 2023

What next?

One wonders that if administrative measures were all that were needed to arrest the rupee’s sorry slide, why were they not taken sooner?
Greater representation
21 Sep, 2023

Greater representation

PAKISTAN now stands at a significant juncture, with the names of 11.7m more women added to the voter list, ...
Lost generations
21 Sep, 2023

Lost generations

IF those who wield power in Pakistan think that the nation can progress when tens of millions of its children have...