NATO says al-Qaeda's second-in-command in Afghanistan has been killed in an air raid near the Pakistani border

The US-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, or

, said on Tuesday that Saudi-born Sakhr al-Taifi, also known as Musthaq and Nasim, commanded foreign fighters and directed attacks on NATO and Afghan troops. It described him as al-Qaeda's "second highest leader in Afghanistan", saying he frequently travelled between Afghanistan and Pakistan, "carrying out commands from senior al-Qaeda leadership". He also supplied weapons and equipment to insurgents, and managed the transport of anti-government fighters into Afghanistan, the military said.

NATO said he was killed in an air raid on Sunday with "one additional al-Qaeda terrorist in Watahpur district, Kunar province" which borders Pakistan.