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The head of al-Qaida in the Indian subcontinent, Asim Umar, was killed in an attack by Afghan and US forces in southern Afghanistan in late September, Afghan intelligence services (NDS) said Tuesday.
The NDS has confirmed the death of Asim Umar, leader of al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent (Aqsi) in a joint US-Afghan raid against a Taliban base by a tweet. The Afghan Defense Ministry reported on Sept. 23 a raid in Musa Qala (South) against " a hideout used by Taliban and foreign al-Qaeda terrorists ".
The raid targeted a " foreign terrorist group involved in the preparation of terrorist attacks ," and destroyed an equipment warehouse for these attacks. Local authorities said the operation, including air strikes, also caused civilian casualties by killing women and children on their way to a wedding.
The " courier " of Al-Zawahiri dead
According to the NDS, the raid killed a Pakistani citizen and " six other Aqsi members ," one of whom was named Raihan, serving as a courier for Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri. The province of Helmand, where Musa Qala is located, is largely controlled by the Taliban. Aqsi is the al-Qaeda branch that covers its historic cradle of Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as India, Bangladesh and Burma.
Asim Umar has been at the helm of Aqsi since 2014, when Osama Bin Laden's successor, Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri, unveiled his existence. Asim Umar was reputed to be based in Pakistan, and would be born in India, according to the US Treasury.
1/2: BREAKING: #NDS can now confirm the death of Asim Omar, leader of #Al_Qaeda in the #Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), in joint US-Afghan raid on Taliban compound in Musa Qala district of Helmand province on Sep . 23. pic.twitter.com/sFKi38M6MC
NDS Afghanistan (@NDSAfghanistan) October 8, 2019( With AFP )