World

WASHINGTON: A new video of Abu Yahya al Libi, al Qaeda militant who was declared dead last week by US drone attack in Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt, surfaced online, suggesting he may still be alive, US media reported on Wednesday.

According to ABC News, Sahab, al Qaeda’s propaganda production outfit has indicated that a video of him will be released soon.

The messages posted by Ansar and Alfidaa websites suggested that Libi remains alive.

In the new footage, which was posted in militant’s forums with captions referring to al-Libi in honorific titles generally reserved for the living, al-Libi discusses the ongoing violence in Syria but makes no specific reference to any dates or significant events there, ABC News reported.

US intelligence officials and the Obama administration have been adamant that al Libi was killed in last week’s drone strike in North Waziristan area of Pakistan.

It is difficult to be certain if an al Qaeda leader was killed in a drone strike in Pakistan’s tribal agencies, as the Taliban control the ground there. Drones can’t bring a body back home or sweep in and gather DNA of those killed, INP reported.

US intelligence officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on this report.

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