Rumors of Ayman al-Zawahiri’s death may not be exagerated this time

Stratfor reports that:

Pakistani television reported July 29 that a U.S. airstrike in northwestern Pakistan had killed al Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. Such rumors have surfaced before, but it is not yet clear whether they can be dismissed this time around.

Stratfor is generally the best source of actual information I have found anywhere. While they do not say with confidence that Al-Zawahiri is dead, it was reported on Pakistan TV. Even if not true its good to hear that the US is attacking Pakistani madrases. while some may cringe at the thought of hitting what they think of as the equivalent to a church or a synagogue, Madrases are routinely used to store weapons explosives and teach people how to use them to kill civilians and instill terror for Islamic political gain.

Stratfor:

A Pashtu-language Pakistani television channel has reported that deputy al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a July 28 U.S. airstrike on a madrassa in the Pakistani tribal belt along the Afghan border, sources informed Stratfor on Aug. 1. AVT Khyber TV quoted unnamed sources in its July 29 news broadcast as saying that al-Zawahiri was among three Arabs killed in a strike against the seminary in Zeralita village in the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The channel also interviewed an official from the Pakistani army’s Inter-Services Public Relations directorate who said the military was aware of the incident but could not confirm the report.

There is also a rumor that al Qaeda weapons expert Abu Khabab al-Masr was also killed in this strike.

Let us all hope this is true. Party at my place?