Osama Bin Laden was killed by US security forces in Abbottabad on 2 May 2011. He was shot in the head, during the firefight in the compound in Pakistan, where he was taking shelter. The raid came almost 10 years after the deadly 9/11 terror attack on the US by Bin Laden's terror outfit, the al Qaeda.
Following the raid, Barack Obama, then US President, announced the death of the al Qaeda chief in a televised address. "Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama Bin Laden and took custody of his body," Obama said.
"For over two decades, Bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of Bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda," he said.
While the 9/11 attack is remembered as the worst attack carried out under the leadership of Bin Laden, the al Qaeda has also been responsible for numerous other terror strikes around the world.
Following Bin Laden’s death, Ayman Al Zawahiri was appointed the head of the terrorist outfit.
(Photos sourced from Reuters, video screengrabs)
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