Petraeus: al-Qaida Not Operating in Afghanistan
Sunday, May 10, 2009 | Updated 9:52 AM EDT
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The Commander of the U.S. Central Command Gen. David Petraeus said that al-Qaida no longer is operating in Afghanistan.
The chief of the U.S. Central Command says al-Qaida no longer is operating in Afghanistan. But Gen. David Petraeus (peh-TRAY'-uhs) says affiliated organizations still have "enclaves and sanctuaries" in the country.
Petraeus says al-Qaida, which carried out the Sept. 11 attacks, has suffered "very significant losses" in recent months in its hide-outs across the rugged, mountainous border in Pakistan.
Petraeus spoke Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" praising Pakistan for its offensive to root out Taliban militants sheltering al-Qaida.
Still, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Petraeus later said that Taliban militants are a "true threat" to the existence of Pakistan.
Copyright Associated Press
