Aslam Awan, Al Qaeda operative, killed by US drones: report

Aslam Awan, an Al Qaeda operative believed to have been planning attacks against the West, was killed by a CIA drone strike in northwestern Pakistan, according to news reports.

The New York Times sourced an anonymous US official confirming the death of Aslam Awan, who was killed Jan. 10 in the town of Miram Shah, a militant stronghold.

The Times reported:

The American official, who would speak of the classified drone program only on the condition of anonymity, called Mr. Awan “a senior Al Qaeda external operations planner who was working on attacks against the West.” He added that “his death reduces Al Qaeda’s thinning bench of another operative devoted to plotting the death of innocent civilians.”

The Associated Press confirmed the report, also sourcing an anonymous US official. 

The drone strike was one of the first resumed attacked in Pakistan after a six-week freeze was put into effect into the program after US and NATO forces killed 24 Pakistani troops due to “friendly fire.”

More from GlobalPost: US admits errors behind NATO air strike in Pakistan