The White House on Friday announced the killing of al-Qaida leader Qassim al-Rimi and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri, in counter-terrorism operation conducted by US forces in Yemen.
Qassim al-Rimi was the leader of the terror organisation in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
“At the direction of President Donald Trump, the US conducted a counterterrorism operation in Yemen that successfully eliminated Qasim al-Rimi, a founder and the leader of al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and a deputy to al-Qa’ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri,” a White House tweet read.
At the direction of President Trump, the U.S. conducted a counterterrorism operation in Yemen that successfully eliminated Qasim al-Rimi, a founder and the leader of al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula and a deputy to al-Qa’ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. https://t.co/ayOmTpzH04
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 6, 2020
The US officials claimed that Rimi had committed crimes against civilians in Yemen and has conducted several attacks on the United States forces.
“Under Rimi, AQAP committed unconscionable violence against civilians in Yemen and sought to conduct and inspire numerous attacks against the United States and our forces,” the statement read.
The White House has further stated that Washington will continue to protect the interests of American people and its allies.
“The United States, our interests, and our allies are safer as a result of his death. We will continue to protect the American people by tracking down and eliminating terrorists who seek to do us harm,” it further added.
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Unconfirmed reports of his death, including indicative tweets from the president, have been circulating since 31 January, but the neither the Department of Defense nor the CIA had issued official confirmation.
The affiliate has long been considered the global network’s most dangerous branch for its attempts to carry out attacks on the US mainland.
As per reports, US President Donald Trump said the US and its allies were safer as a result of his death.
“We will continue to protect the American people by tracking down and eliminating terrorists who seek to do us harm,” Trump was quoted in media reports.
Last month, Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ elite Quds Force, was killed in a US drone strike ordered by President Donald Trump at Baghdad International Airport.
(With ANI inputs)