WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has confirmed here today that Osama-bin-Laden (OBL)’s son and designated heir was killed in a US counter-terrorism operation carried out along the Pak-Afghan border.
Trump stated: “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,” US President Donald Trump held.
Though Mark Esper the Secretary of Defense had confirmed the killing of OBL’s 30-year-old son Hamza-bin-Laden later last month, this is the first time President Trump had publicly confirmed the death.
It is pertinent to mention here that US State Dept had announced a million dollars bounty on his head after his death.
Hamza-bin-Laden was son of Osama-bin-Laden from his third wife. He was 15th of Osama-bin-Laden’s 20 children. US perceived him as an emerging enemy in the form of a leader in the Al-Qaeda franchise.
Relevant piece published earlier:
US Sec. of Defense confirms death of Osama-bin-Ladin’s son
WASHINGTON: Al-Qaeda founder Osama-bin-Laden’s 30-year-old son Hamza (dubbed as Crown Prince of Jihad) has been killed.
US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper while confirming the death of Hamza-bin-Laden maintained: “That’s my understanding…I don’t have the details on that. And if I did I’m not sure how much I could share with you.”
Hamza had put out audio and video messages calling for attacks on US and other countries to avenge his father’s killing by American forces in the month of May, 2011. It is pertinent to mention here that Hamza bin Laden (15th of Osama bin Laden’s 20 children and a son of his third wife) was emerging as the Al-Qaida’s new chief.