New intelligence reports suggest that Hamza bin Laden, the son of al-Qaeda's notorious founder Osama bin Laden, is alive and secretly leading the terror organization.
Despite previous reports of his death in 2019, defense experts and intelligence sources now claim that Hamza is actively involved in reviving al-Qaeda, with plans to orchestrate attacks on the West.
Hamza bin Laden, once dubbed the “crown prince of terror,” is said to be operating from Afghanistan alongside his brother Abdullah bin Laden. Al-Qaeda, once weakened, is reportedly regrouping under his leadership and preparing for its most significant resurgence since the Iraq War.
Colonel Richard Kemp, former chief of UK forces, warned that Hamza is exploiting Afghanistan as a base of operations, stating, "Hamza appears to have an open field in Afghanistan and is intent on conquest and vengeance for his father." Intelligence reports indicate that senior Taliban leaders are actively supporting and protecting Hamza, providing him and his family with a safe haven and holding regular meetings with him.
Reports highlight a disturbing resurgence of terrorism in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, with as many as 21 terror networks allegedly operating in the region. Fighters and suicide bombers are being trained in camps located in provinces like Helmand, Ghazni, Laghman, and Nangarhar, raising concerns about potential attacks on Western nations. Fears of another 9/11-style attack are intensifying as intelligence suggests al-Qaeda is regaining its strength.
The National Mobilisation Front (NMF), an anti-Taliban military alliance, has also issued warnings about Hamza’s activities. According to the NMF, Hamza has been relocated to Dara Abdullah Khel district in Panjshir, where 450 Arabs and Pakistanis are protecting him. The NMF further stated that Afghanistan has turned into a training ground for various terror groups since the fall of Kabul in 2021.
The resurgence of al-Qaeda under Hamza’s leadership directly contradicts earlier reports of his death. In 2019, then-US President Donald Trump announced that Hamza had been killed in a US operation in southeast Afghanistan. However, the CIA never confirmed his death with DNA evidence, leaving speculation about his fate.
Hamza bin Laden, believed to be in his 30s, has reportedly worked closely with al-Qaeda’s former leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who took over the group following Osama bin Laden’s death in 2011. Hamza’s last known public statement, released by al-Qaeda’s media arm in 2018, called for revolt against the Saudi monarchy. He was previously designated as a global terrorist by the United States and was thought to be under house arrest in Iran.
Born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Hamza spent years with his mother in Iran before rising to prominence within the ranks of al-Qaeda. His father, Osama bin Laden, orchestrated the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States. Osama was killed in a 2011 US Special Forces operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
With Hamza bin Laden’s alleged resurgence, security experts are now calling for greater international cooperation to address the growing terror threat in Afghanistan and prevent future attacks on Western targets.
