Published 19:45 IST, September 14th 2019
Hamza Bin Laden killed in an airstrike by United States: Donald Trump
Hamza bin Laden son of Osama bin Laden killed in an airstrike by the United States confirmed US president Trump in an official statement by the White House
- World News
- 3 min read
The White House released a statement on Saturday confirming the death of slain terrorist Osama Bin Laden's son Hamza Bin Laden by the United States. Reportedly, Hamza was killed in an airstrike carried out by the US in the backyard of Pakistan. The US Media in August had reported the death of Hamza but there was no confirmation given by the US government back then.
The US confirms Hamza Bin Laden's death
The official statement from the White House states, "Hamza bin Laden, the high-ranking Al Qaeda member and son of Osama Bin Laden, was killed in a United States counter-terrorism operation in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region. The loss of Hamza Bin Laden not only deprives Al Qaeda of important leadership skills and the symbolic connection to his father but undermines important operational activities of the group. Hamza Bin Laden was responsible for planning and dealing with various terrorist groups."
About Hamza Bin Laden
Hamza Bin Laden, 30, was dubbed the Crown Prince of Jihad after the death of Osama Bin Laden and was a high-ranking official in Al-Qaeda. Back in 2011, Hamza had urged jihadists to unite in order to take revenge of his father Osama Bin Laden's killing. The intelligence agencies previously had not been able to trace him. Some sources had also said that he was under house arrest in Iran after the Saudi Arabian regime stripped his citizenship. The United States in February this year had announced $ 1 million for information on his whereabouts. The State Department had identified him as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" in January 2017. Hamza Bin Laden was believed to have made his last public appearance in 2018. He was also regarded as the likely successor to the organization's chief Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Osama Bin Laden's killing
Osama bin Laden was killed on 2 May 2011 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, during a US Navy SEAL special operation following a 10-year manhunt. Pakistan PM Imran Khan on his visit to the United States, for the first time, he had revealed that the ISI provided intelligence to the CIA which helped the US track down and kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. This came as a significant development as Islamabad had so far denied having any knowledge of the dreaded Al Qaeda chief in the country. He was shot dead by US Navy Seals in 2011.
Updated 20:52 IST, September 14th 2019