Afghan security forces announce the killing of Abu Mohsen al-Masri, a prominent leader in Al-Qaeda

Afghan forces have killed Abu Mohsen al-Masri, a prominent al-Qaeda leader, who was on the US FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist List.

Afghanistan's National Security Directorate said that Abu Mohsin al-Masri, believed to be the number two in Al-Qaeda, was killed in a special operation in Ghazni province.

Al-Masry is accused in the United States of providing material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization and of plotting to kill Americans.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation said the al-Qaeda operative, also named Hossam Abdel-Raouf, is an Egyptian citizen.

And US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last month that fewer than 200 Al Qaeda militants were still in Afghanistan.

This month marks 19 years since the United States invaded Afghanistan to topple Taliban rule after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The United States began gradually withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan after concluding a historic agreement with the Taliban in February, and the peace process between the Taliban and the Afghan government began in the Qatari capital, Doha, last month.