Reports say leader of al-Qaeda in Arabian Peninsular has been killed in Yemen
- 9 years ago
Media reports say a suspected US air strike in Yemen has killed the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular, (AQAP), Nasser al-Wuhayshi.
Yemeni security officials say he died in an attack near the port city of Aden.
If confirmed this would represent a major setback for al-Qaeda and one of its most active branches, which has become strong since Wuhayshi broke out of a Yemeni prison and became AQAP’s leader in 2009.
Formerly an aide-de-camp to Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, Wuhayshi led his branch of al-Qaeda in a series of daring operations in Yemen in which hundreds of people have been killed. He is also thought to have plotted to down international airliners, and attack US embassies in the region.
In January AQAP claimed responsibility for the attack of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Credence to the claim has been reinforced by several messages appearing on social media in the form of praise and mourning for the fallen leader.
Yemeni security officials say he died in an attack near the port city of Aden.
If confirmed this would represent a major setback for al-Qaeda and one of its most active branches, which has become strong since Wuhayshi broke out of a Yemeni prison and became AQAP’s leader in 2009.
Formerly an aide-de-camp to Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, Wuhayshi led his branch of al-Qaeda in a series of daring operations in Yemen in which hundreds of people have been killed. He is also thought to have plotted to down international airliners, and attack US embassies in the region.
In January AQAP claimed responsibility for the attack of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Credence to the claim has been reinforced by several messages appearing on social media in the form of praise and mourning for the fallen leader.