Pakistani al Qaeda 'Facilitator' Killed in Kunar Airstrike

Bill Roggio | The Long War Journal | Special operations forces killed an al Qaeda "facilitator" from Pakistan in an airstrike in the remote eastern Afghan province of Kunar, which has served as a terrorist safe haven. The al Qaeda facilitator is the seventh senior Pakistani jihadist killed in Kunar since June.

The International Security Assistance Force confirmed that Abdul Rauf, who is also known as Iftikhar, was killed in an airstrike in the Marawarah district on Sept. 23. "Security force engaged Abdul Rauf with a precision airstrike, killing him and two other insurgents," ISAF said in a press release. The strike was called in after Rauf was seen while "engaged in insurgent activity."

Rauf was "a Pakistani al Qaeda facilitator who coordinated the movement of foreign fighters into the country, as well as constructing improvised explosive devices for attacks against security forces," according to ISAF. The term "foreign fighters" is often used by ISAF to describe foreign al Qaeda fighters.  (READ MORE)