Osama bin Laden: The Abbottabad Raid

The Death of a Terrorist Leader

May 1, 2011

On May 1, 2011, U.S. Navy SEALs raided a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden was the founder and leader of al-Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible for the 9/11 attacks. His death was a major victory in the fight against terrorism.

The raid was the culmination of years of intelligence gathering and planning. The CIA had been tracking bin Laden for years, and they had finally located him in Abbottabad in 2010. The White House authorized the raid in April 2011, and the SEALs carried it out on May 1.

The raid was a success, but it was not without its casualties. One of the SEALs, Petty Officer First Class Ryan Owens, was killed during the raid. Bin Laden's adult son, Khalid, was also killed. The raid also resulted in the capture of several other al-Qaeda operatives.

Bin Laden's death was a major blow to al-Qaeda. The organization has been weakened since his death, and it has not been able to carry out any major attacks in the United States since 9/11.