Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday confirmed that Hamza bin Laden, the son of Osama bin Laden and a high-ranking Al Qaeda member, was killed in a US counter-terrorism operation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. Trump said that the high profile al-Qaeda member was killed during a counter-terrorism operation by the US.
In August, two top US officials have made it clear that the terror mastermind is 'dead'.
Announcing the development, the White House Press Secretary said that his killing "not only deprives the Al Qaeda of important leadership skills and the symbolic connection to his father but also undermines important operational activities of the group. Hamza bin Laden was responsible for planning and dealing with various terrorist groups."
Aged around 30, Hamza is believed to have been born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Hamza's
Born to Osama bin Laden and Khairiah Sabar, one of three surviving wives of the former Al-Qaeda leader, Hamza was seen as the heir to the terror outfit's leadership.
Hamza was associated with Al-Qaeda since his childhood. He had appeared in many videos since he was a teenager.
The US State Department had identified him as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' in January 2017.
On March 1, the US State Department has offered a reward of USD 1 million for information on the whereabouts of Hamza.
Following the Trump administration's move, Saudi Arabia revoked Hamza’s citizenship. Hamza bin Laden is believed to have made his last public appearance in 2018.
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