An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

You have accessed part of a historical collection on defense.gov. Some of the information contained within may be outdated and links may not function. Please contact the DOD Webmaster with any questions.
Immediate Release

Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on Strikes Against al-Qaida leaders in Afghanistan

A precision airstrike carried out by the U.S. military on Oct. 23 near Kunar, Afghanistan, killed three senior al-Qaida leaders. Previously DoD disclosed that the strike eliminated Faruq al-Qatani the group's emir for Eastern Afghanistan. The department has now determined the same strike also killed Bilal al-Utabyi, al-Qatani's deputy as well as Abd al-Wahid al-Junabi, a senior al-Qaida explosives expert. All three were actively involved in carrying out and plotting terror attacks inside and outside Afghanistan. The deaths of these three al-Qaida leaders will significantly reduce the group's ability to threaten the United States, our interests and our allies. This strike is further evidence that those who seek us harm are not beyond our reach.