Al-Qaeda’s South Asia chief Asim Umar ‘killed in Afghanistan’

Al-Qaeda‘s South Asia chief Asim Umar ‘killed in Afghanistan’. He was killed during the joint United States and Afghanistan military operation. The head of the Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent died in a raid on a Taliban compound in the Helmand province. Along with the South Asian chief, reports suggest that many civilians too lost their lives.

The news was shared by the NDS on Twitter. Check out the tweets here:

1/2: BREAKING: #NDS can now confirm the death of Asim Omar, leader of #Al_Qaeda in the #Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), in a joint US-Afghan raid on a Taliban compound in Musa Qala district of Helmand province on Sep. 23. pic.twitter.com/sFKi38M6MC

— NDS Afghanistan (@NDSAfghanistan) October 8, 2019

2/2: Omar, a #Pakistani citizen, was #killed along with six other AQIS members, most of them Pakistani. Among them was Raihan, Omar’s courier to Ayman #Al_Zawahiri. They had been embedded inside the Taliban compound in the #Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala. pic.twitter.com/7jQF7bK7aD

— NDS Afghanistan (@NDSAfghanistan) October 8, 2019

As reported by HT, Asim Umar, the head of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), died in a raid on a Taliban compound in Helmand province on 23 September. At least 40 civilians were reported to have been killed in the same operation. The US and al-Qaeda have not confirmed Umar’s death. But the Taliban denied the news. They dismissed it as enemy-fabricated propaganda but added that many civilians have lost their lives. The India-born Omar had been the chief of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent since its formation in 2014.

AFP reported The US-Afghan joint raid was part of a lengthy operation on the night of September 22 and 23. The US had provided air support for the operation. Afghan authorities had said that they would investigate claims that 40 civilians, including children who have been killed in an airstrike conducted during the operation.

The United States has reached a deal with the Taliban to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan, provided they abide by security guarantees and cut all ties with Al Qaeda. However, President Trump cancelled secret plans to host Taliban members after they admitted to killing a US soldier.

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