Al-Qaida commander killed in U.S. airstrike

updated 2:01 p.m. ET July 31, 2008

CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida has posted a statement on the Internet saying one of its commanders in Afghanistan has been killed by a U.S. airstrike.

Abu Abdullah al-Shami was one of four al-Qaida militants who brazenly escaped from U.S.-run Bagram prison in Afghanistan three years ago.

Thursday's statement was dated July 14 and signed by the terror network's top Afghanistan commander, Mustafa Abu al-Yazeed.

It says al-Shami was "martyred with a group of his companions." It did not elaborate on where he was killed, or who was with him.

The message appeared on a Web site frequently used by al-Qaida.

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