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Hamza Bin Laden: President Trump confirms al-Qaeda leader's son is dead



US President Donald Trump has confirmed that Hamza Bin Laden, the son of al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden, was killed in a US operation.

Last month, US media - citing intelligence officials - reported he had died in an air strike.

He was officially designated by the US as a global terrorist two years ago.

He was widely seen as a potential successor to his father. Thought to be about 30, he had sent out calls for attacks on the US and other countries.

"Hamza Bin Laden, the high-ranking al-Qaeda member and son of Osama Bin Laden, was killed in a United States counter-terrorism operation in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region," Mr Trump said in a brief statement issued by the White House.

"The loss of Hamza Bin Laden not only deprives al-Qaeda of important leadership skills and the symbolic connection to his father, but undermines important operational activities of the group."

The statement did not specify the timing of the operation.