By Awais Saleem, IANS,
Islamabad : A senior Al Qaeda leader has reportedly been killed in a US drone attack in Pakistan’s North Waziristan region, security officials Wednesday said.
Villagers, however, said they saw the militant leader “roaming around with his men” in the area.
The reports of the death of Sheikh Al Fateh, regional chief of Al Qaeda, came amid a sudden upsurge in drone strikes by the US in the troubled area alongside the northwestern border.
Security officials said “a senior Al Qaeda commander for Afghanistan and Pakistan was taken out in an air strike in North Waziristan a few days ago”.
“There have been reports that Sheikh Al Raziq, also known as Sheikh Al Fateh Al Misri, has been killed with his three associates in Doga Macha Madakhel area Saturday,” they said.
However, local villagers contradicted the report vehemently, saying “he was seen roaming around with his men” Monday.
Al Fateh hailed from Yemen and had taken over the regional leadership of Al Qaeda from Mustapha Abu Yazid Al Misri, who was killed in a similar drone strike in May this year.
The month of September has witnessed 21 drone attacks in Waziristan.
The northwestern province of Pakistan and the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan has become a battleground for the war against terror for almost eight years now.