Al-Qaeda top leader killed in U.S. drone attack
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The al-Qaeda top leader in Pakistan, Sheikh Al-Fateh, was killed in a drone attack two days ago in Pakistan's northwest tribal area, local media reported on Tuesday night.
The report quoted unidentified sources as saying that Sheikh Al- Fateh was killed during three U.S. drone strikes launched on Sept. 26 in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of North Waziristan.
To have the big fish of al-Qaeda in Pakistan killed, the U.S. side on Sunday mobilized six to seven drones and fired nine missiles at three different targets in the above-mentioned area.
Sheikh Al-Fateh, aged about 50, is said to be from Yeman. In 1996 he came to Afghanistan and joined Taliban there. In 2001 after the U.S. attacked Afghanistan he escaped to Pakistan.
Al-Qaeda appointed Fateh as its new commander for operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan after its former leader, Mustafa Abu al- Yazid, was killed in a U.S. Predator strike in North Waziristan in May 2010.
A previous al-Qaeda commander, Libyan Abu Laith al-Libi, was also killed in a drone attack in Pakistan in January 2008.
Waziristan is the home of Taliban leaders Hakimullah Mehsood, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Mulla Nazir, who are fighting against U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. The Haqqani network, led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the son of former Taliban commander Jalauddin Haqqani, is also active in North Waziristan.
U.S. drones regularly launch strikes to target suspected militants in the region and has stepped up attacks in recent days.
A number of high-profile militant leaders have been killed in the past drone attacks. They include Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud killed last August and Mohammed Haqqani, a cousin of Sirajuddin Haqqani, killed in February.
Pakistan publicly criticizes U.S. drone attacks, saying they violate its sovereignty and fuel more anti-Americanism among the people.
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