US kills senior Al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Nov 5 (KUNA) -- A senior Al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan was killed in a "precision strike" by the US in October, the Pentagon revealed late Friday.
Faruq Al-Qahtani was killed on October 23rd in Kunar, east of the capital Kabul, and is described as the groupآ’s "emir for eastern Afghanistan," Pentagon Spokesperson Peter Cook said in a statement.
The US also targeted a senior Al-Qaeda leader identified as Bilal Al-Utabi, but the Pentagon is still "assessing the results of that strike," he added.
Al-Qahtaniآ’s death "is another example of US operations to degrade international terrorist networks and target terrorist leaders who seek to attack the US homeland, our interests and our allies abroad," Cook affirmed. (end) ys.gta