Al-Qaeda Second-In-Command Killed By Afghan Special Forces

FBI Most-Wanted Poster for al-Rauf (Flickr)

Afghan special forces killed Husam Abd al-Rauf, al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, in Afghanistan’s central Ghazni province on October 25. Al-Rauf was charged in the U.S. with providing material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization in December 2018, and was featured on the FBI most-wanted list. 

An Egyptian national, Al-Rauf joined al-Qaeda in 1986 during the Afghan conflict with the Soviet Union. He served for years as al-Qaeda's media chief, writing articles and producing audio backing the group. 

Chris Miller, head of the U.S. National Counter-Terrorism Center, lauded the Afghan attack, saying Al-Rauf’s “removal...from the battlefield is a major setback to a terrorist organization that is consistently experiencing strategic losses facilitated by the United States and its partners.”

Al-Rauf’s death comes amid weeks of fighting between the Afghan government and Taliban militants, as well as attacks in the Afghan capital of Kabul. Peace talks in Qatar continue today between the Taliban and the Afghan government. 

The Afghan peace process and U.S. involvement in the region may be further complicated by allegations from Amanullah Kamrani, the deputy head of Ghazni’s provincial council. Without evidence, Amanullah Kamrani told the Associated Press that the Taliban had been offering shelter and protection to Al-Rauf. 

If true, this would violate the terms of the Taliban’s February 29 deal with the U.S. in which the Taliban agreed “not to cooperate with groups or individuals threatening the security of the United States and its allies.” 

The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan started 19 years ago as a result of the Taliban hosting Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden following the September 11 attacks. The Taliban’s commitment to not aiding terrorists has therefore been a main strategic priority of the U.S. In the event that the Taliban hosted Al-Rauf, the U.S. troop withdrawal would become more complicated.

The Taliban told AP on Sunday that they are investigating the incident, with no further elaboration.