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| Asim Umar: Al-Qaeda's South Asia chief 'killed in Afghanistan' | Asim Umar: Al-Qaeda's South Asia chief 'killed in Afghanistan' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A top al-Qaeda leader has been killed in a joint US-Afghan military operation, according to Afghanistan's intelligence agency. | |
| Asim Umar, the head of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), died in a raid on a Taliban compound in Helmand province on 23 September, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) said. | Asim Umar, the head of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), died in a raid on a Taliban compound in Helmand province on 23 September, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) said. |
| At least 40 civilians were reported to have been killed in the same operation. | At least 40 civilians were reported to have been killed in the same operation. |
| The US and al-Qaeda have not confirmed Umar's death. | The US and al-Qaeda have not confirmed Umar's death. |
| In a statement shared on Twitter on Tuesday, the NDS said the joint US-Afghan raid took place at a compound in the "Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala" district, where Umar and other AQIS members "had been embedded". | In a statement shared on Twitter on Tuesday, the NDS said the joint US-Afghan raid took place at a compound in the "Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala" district, where Umar and other AQIS members "had been embedded". |
| It said six other AQIS members were also killed, "most" of whom were Pakistani. | It said six other AQIS members were also killed, "most" of whom were Pakistani. |
| Raihan, Umar's "courier" to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, was named as one of those killed. | Raihan, Umar's "courier" to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, was named as one of those killed. |
| The NDS shared pictures purportedly showing Umar both alive and dead alongside the statement. | The NDS shared pictures purportedly showing Umar both alive and dead alongside the statement. |
| Further details of the operation and what happened to the bodies were not immediately clear. | Further details of the operation and what happened to the bodies were not immediately clear. |
| Officials also said air strikes conducted as part of the same operation had killed at least 40 civilians attending a wedding party. | Officials also said air strikes conducted as part of the same operation had killed at least 40 civilians attending a wedding party. |
| Umar has headed AQIS since its formation in September 2014. | Umar has headed AQIS since its formation in September 2014. |
| Little is known about him but he is said to be a militant, originally from India, who spent years in the town of Miranshah, a former militant stronghold in Pakistani tribal areas near the Afghan border. | |
| He is also reported to have worked with Kashmir-focused groups such as Harkatul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad prior to joining al-Qaeda. | He is also reported to have worked with Kashmir-focused groups such as Harkatul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad prior to joining al-Qaeda. |