KABUL, Afghanistan (May 29) — Afghan and coalition forces confirmed that a security operation conducted Sunday resulted in the deaths of Sakhr al-Taifi, a Saudi al-Qaida leader, and one additional al-Qaida terrorist in Watahpur district, Kunar province.
Sakhr al-Taifi, also known as Musthaq and Nasim, was al-Qaida’s second highest leader in Afghanistan, responsible for commanding foreign insurgents, in addition to directing attacks against coalition and Afghan forces.
He frequently traveled between Afghanistan and Pakistan, carrying out commands from senior al-Qaida leadership. He also supplied weapons and equipment to eastern insurgents and managed the illegal transport of insurgent fighters into Afghanistan.
After positively identifying Sakhr al-Taifi and one additional al-Qaida terrorist, and ensuring no civilians were in the area, the security force engaged the targets with a precision airstrike. A follow-on assessment of the area determined no civilian property was damaged and no civilians were harmed. ISAF
Bin Laden said the eastern Afghan province's “rougher terrain, many mountains, rivers and trees can accommodate hundreds of brothers without being spotted by the enemy.”
The documents were released by the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Also Tuesday, Afghan officials say two suicide bombers were killed when their explosives-laden vehicle prematurely detonated in the eastern province of Nangarhar. Authorities say the bombers were planning to attack targets in the provincial capital, Jalalabad. At least two civilians were wounded in the blast in the Mohmandra district. VoA.
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