Three al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula terrorists were killed in an airstrike in Yemen last week, including one of the group’s top leaders, according to U.S. Central Command.
Abu Khattab al Awlaqi, considered a senior leader with AQAP, and two of his associates were killed in the strike, which U.S. forces conducted with the backing of the government of Yemen.
Al Awlaqi planned and conducted terror attacks against civilians, and had “significant influence” throughout AQAP’s stronghold.
According to U.S. Central Command, al Awlaqi also had ties to AQAP’s other senior leaders and was believed to have planned and led efforts to “exacerbate instability” in southern Yemen.
U.S. Central Command said Thursday al Awlaqi’s death “removes a trusted and experienced terrorist leader from AQAP’s ranks.”
U.S. forces have been conducting a series of counterterrorism operations against AQAP in Yemen in coordination with the country’s government. Since President Trump took office, the military has launched more than 80 airstrikes against the terrorist group there.
Over the last few years, AQAP has orchestrated a series of attacks against the U.S., American citizens and allies. The terrorist group is responsible for the 2008 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, and attempted to down a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day in 2009.
AQAP also conspired to send packages containing explosives to Chicago in 2010 and is tied to the 2013 Boston bombing, 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, and other lone-wolf attacks in the U.S. and Europe.
