Al-Qaeda says one of its commanders in Afghanistan, Abu Abdullah al-Shami, has been killed in a US air strike.
Al-Shami was one of four al-Qaeda men who escaped from the US prison at Bagram, north of Kabul, in 2005.
A statement posted on an Islamist website did not give any details of when or where he was killed.
The statement, dated 14 July, was posted on the internet on Thursday. It was signed by al-Qaeda's top commander in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazeed.
Al-Qaeda is blamed for the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US and other attacks around the world.
Many analysts believe the group's leader Osama Bin Laden and other senior operatives are hiding near the Afghan-Pakistan border.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~08~RS~)