Senior al-Qaeda operative killed in Pakistan, US officials say

The head of al-Qaeda's operations in Pakistan has been killed, a US official was quoted as saying by news reports late Thursday.

Abu Hafs al-Shahri coordinated anti-US attacks in the region and worked closely with the Taliban in Pakistan, a US official told news broadcaster CNN on condition of anonymity.

His cause of death was not made clear. Pakistani officials earlier said that a Sunday strike by US drones in the tribal district of north Waziristan killed three people, who were not identified, DPA reported.

Al-Shahri was considered a possible successor to the terrorist group's number two Atiyah Abdul Rahman, who was killed in August.