Top Al-Qaeda leader killed in Syria: Pentagon
Washington: In a significant blow to Al-Qaeda, a commander of the terror outfit, who played a key role in sending new recruits from Pakistan to Syria has been killed in a coalition air strike, the Pentagon announced.
Abdul Mohsen Adballah Ibrahim al Charekh, also known as Sanafi al-Nasr, a Saudi national and highest ranking leader of the network of veteran al-Qaeda operatives also called the ‘Khorasan Group,’ was killed in the air strike on October 15.
“The United States will not relent in its mission to degrade, disrupt and destroy al-Qaeda and its remnants,” said Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.
“This operation deals a significant blow to the Khorasan Group’s plans to attack the United States and our allies, and once again proves that those who seek to do us harm are not beyond our reach,” Carter said.
A long-time jihadist experienced in funneling money and fighters for al-Qaeda, al-Nasar moved funds from donors in the Gulf region into Iraq and then to al-Qaeda leaders from Pakistan to Syria.
“He organised and maintained routes for new recruits to travel from Pakistan to Syria through Turkey in addition to helping al-Qaeda’s external operations in the West. Al-Nasr previously worked for al-Qaeda’s Iran-based facilitation network,” Pentagon Press Secretary, Peter Cook said.
Khorasan Group is a secret outfit of al-Qaeda sent from Pakistan to Syria in order to plot attacks against the West.
