Al Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan killed, spy agency confirms

Two top Al Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan were killed in a US drone attack, the nation’s spy agency confirmed Thursday, in a major blow to the group as it seeks to re- establish safe havens in the country.

Washington said the strikes on Sunday targeted Farouq al- Qahtani, Al Qaeda’s emir for northeastern Afghanistan, and his deputy Bilal al- Utabi, calling it the most significant attack against the group in several years.

Multiple Hellfire missiles “leveled” two different compounds in Kunar where the men were believed to be hiding, US officials said Wednesday, without confirming if the strikes were successful.

Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security offered confirmation of their death on Thursday, adding that a third senior member of the group had also been killed.

“The attack was carried out in coordination with NDS,” the spy agency said in a statement, without naming the third leader.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook had earlier said their demise would deal a blow to the militant group’s presence in Afghanistan.

“Eliminating these core leaders of Al Qaeda will disrupt efforts to plot against the US and our allies, reduce the threat to our Afghan partners, and assist their efforts to deny Al Qaeda safe haven in Afghanistan,” Cook said.

Another US official said the attack represented the “most significant strike” against the Al Qaeda leadership in Afghanistan in years.