A United State airstrike has killed Nasir al-Wahishi, al Qaeda’s second in command leader and former high ranking Osama bin Laden assistant.
The terror network announced his death in a video, according to the Associated Press. Al-Wahishi controlled al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the Yemeni affiliate of al Qaeda.
“Our Muslim nation, a hero of your heroes and a master of your masters left to God, steadfast,” Khaled Batrafi, a senior operative, said in the video.
“In the name of God, the blood of these pioneers makes us more determined to sacrifice,” he said. “Let the enemies know that the battle is not with an individual… the battle led by crusaders and their agents is colliding with a billion-member nation.”
His death is considered a major loss for al Qaeda, as it struggles to compete with the Islamic State.
