Five years ago today: Osama Bin Laden gunned down in Abbottabad

Exactly five years ago today, on May 2, 2011, the American army conducted a secret military operation at a compound located in Bilal Town, with a short distance from the famous Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul.

The military operation which took more than twenty minutes, involved three American helicopters and Special Commandos of the United States army. The troops landed on the upper floor of the compound and allegedly shot to death Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden. One helicopter was also destroyed during the operation.

The locals of Abbottabad still doubt the actual version of the event provided by the Americans and still do not accept the fact that Bin Laden was killed in the Abbottabad operation.

51-year old physician Shakeel Afridi was arrested by the government for his central role in locating Osama Bin Laden. What is known is that Afridi’s job was to run a fake polio vaccination program with the aim of obtaining genetic samples from Abbottabad, a garrison city and home to the Pakistan Military Academy, the country’s answer to Westpoint.

The Abbottabad Operation soured relations between the United States and Pakistan. While Pakistan did welcome the news of the death of the terrorist, it was miffed that the US had conducted the operation in total secrecy. The United States has continuously asked Pakistan to release Shakeel Afridi, who is seen as a hero back in the United States of America for his role in identifying the compound where Osama was staying.

Osama Bin Laden was the most wanted terrorist in the world owing to his involvement in the September 11, 2001 attack on the Twin Towers in New York.