Al-Qaeda leader killed in US drone strike in Afghanistan

The US has confirmed the death of a senior al-Qaeda leader targeted by a US drone strike in north eastern Afghanistan last month. Farouq al-Qahtani, the group's leader in the area, was killed two weeks ago in what the Pentagon described as a precision strike. Saudi-born al-Qahtani was placed on a US list of most wanted terrorists in February. He was said to be one of al-Qaeda's senior plotters against the US. Saudi-born al-Qahtani, a Qatari national, was also accused of involvement in plots targeting Europe.