{"id":20592,"date":"2019-10-08T17:50:40","date_gmt":"2019-10-08T17:50:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/10\/08\/major-al-qaida-leader-killed-in-joint-us-afghan-raid\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:13:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:13:16","slug":"major-al-qaida-leader-killed-in-joint-us-afghan-raid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/10\/08\/major-al-qaida-leader-killed-in-joint-us-afghan-raid\/","title":{"rendered":"Major al-Qaida leader killed in joint US-Afghan raid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Afghanistan\u2019s intelligence agency says a September joint Afghan-U.S. raid in Musa Qala district of Helmand<\/a> province, Afghanistan, bagged a major al-Qaida leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Directorate of Security \u2014 the main intelligence arm of Afghanistan<\/a> \u2014 tweeted Tuesday that a joint U.S.-Afghan raid on Sept. 23 killed Asim Omar, the leader of al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, or AQIS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A U.S. official confirmed to Military Times the death of the al-Qaida leader, but provided no other details regarding the operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NDS said it killed six other AQIS members, including the courier for core al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zawahiri has led al-Qaida since Osama Bin Laden was killed in a U.S. special operations raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan in May 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NDS said Omar was a Pakistani citizen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 18 years of war in Afghanistan, the country is still a safe haven for al-Qaida and some of its offshoots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAl-Qaida continues to see Afghanistan as a safe haven for its leadership, based on its long-standing strong relationship with the Taliban,\u201d a recent UN report reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Citing Afghan officials, the UN report said, that there are roughly 240 al-Qaida militants operating in Afghanistan, with most of the terrorists located in Badakhshan, Kunar and Zabul provinces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAl-Qaida cadre leaders and mentors are also frequently reported to be active in Helmand and Kandahar,\u201d the UN report reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Taliban said they would agree to cut ties with al-Qaida during peace negotiations with the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Donald Trump ended those negotiations in September following the death of a U.S. service member in an attack in Kabul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Taliban continue to be the primary partner for all foreign terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, with the exception of ISIL,\u201d the UN report reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2019 DoD report<\/a> echoed the sentiments of the UN findings stating that al-Qaida and AQIS \u201croutinely support, train, work, and operate with Taliban fighters and commanders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the DoD report noted that many of the core al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan are “largely on survival, and have ceding to the regional AQIS group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report explained that sustained Afghan and coalition efforts in Afghanistan have reduced AQIS\u2019 ability to conduct operations in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\t