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US Says Strike Killed al-Qaida Figure in Afghanistan

by Reuters

   The Pentagon said Saturday that a U.S. strike in Afghanistan this week
   killed an al-Qaida militant who was responsible for the deaths of two
   American service members and accused of involvement in a deadly attack
   on a bus carrying Sri Lanka's cricket team in 2009.

   The Pentagon said in a statement that the strike took place March 19 in
   Paktika province and killed Qari Yasin, a "well-known" al-Qaida
   terrorist leader.

   "The death of Qari Yasin is evidence that terrorists who defame Islam
   and deliberately target innocent people will not escape justice," U.S.
   Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in the statement.

   Yasin, a senior terrorist figure from Balochistan, Pakistan, had ties
   to Tehrik-e Taliban and had plotted multiple al Qaida terror attacks,
   including the Sept. 20, 2008, bombing on the Marriott Hotel in
   Islamabad that killed dozens of innocent people, a Defense Department
   statement said.

   Among those killed were U.S. Air Force Maj. Rodolfo I. Rodriguez and
   Navy Cryptologic Technician Third Class Petty Officer Matthew J.
   O'Bryant, the statement said.