Hamza bin Laden, the son of former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, is dead.

That’s according to a top-ranking US official, who says that evidence was recently received by his government that corroborates his death.

Whilst the exact time and date of his death remain a mystery, it’s believed that Hamza was killed in an airstrike, although the extent of the US’s involvement in the strike remains unclear.

Over to CNN:

The New York Times, citing two US officials, said “the United States government had a role in the operation that killed the younger Mr. bin Laden, but it was not clear precisely what that role was.”

CNN terrorism analyst Paul Cruickshank said one thing is puzzling researchers who are closely tracking al Qaeda: “If Hamza bin Laden has indeed been dead for months, you would expect al Qaeda to have released some form of eulogy before today. The fact they haven’t is highly unusual, given his status in the group.”

While The New York Times said the operation that killed him took place prior to the State Department’s reward offer [$1 million for information leading to his capture], his death had yet to be confirmed by the US government.

Hamza bin Laden “has released audio and video messages on the Internet, calling on his followers to launch attacks against the United States and its Western allies, and he has threatened attacks against the United States in revenge for the May 2011 killing of his father by US military forces,” the State Department said in its announcement offering the reward.

Even Hamza’s own family had expressed their anger in his actions, saying he was “entering horrible parts” of his soul.

As things stand, Donald Trump has yet to comment, as does the US Department of Defense.

From the evidence gathered during the raid that killed Osama, and the audio and video messages that followed, it’s clear that Hamza was keen to take over from his father.

Here’s more on Hamza via the BBC:

He was believed to have been under house arrest in Iran, although other reports suggest he may have been based near the Afghan-Pakistani border.

He is thought to have been born in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia before spending years with his mother in Iran…

In March 2018, in his last known public statement, he called on the people of the Arabian Peninsula to revolt. Saudi Arabia stripped him of his citizenship in March.

Sadly, news like this will only invigorate some within Al-Qaeda, and the cycle of violence will continue.

[sources:cnn&bbc]