Osama bin Laden founded al-Qaeda, the militant Islamist network responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001. From a wealthy Saudi family, he first became involved in armed conflict supporting fighters against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. He then turned against the United States and its allies, declaring war on them in public statements. The 9/11 attacks killed nearly three thousand people and led to the US-led wars in Afghanistan and beyond. He was killed by US special forces at a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011.
Key Milestones
1979: Travels to support the fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan
1988: Founds al-Qaeda
2001: Orders the September 11 attacks
2011: Killed by US special forces in Abbottabad
Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden (1957/58 – 2 May 2011) was the founder and first general emir of al-Qaeda, a Salafi jihadist militant organization, from 1988 until his killing in 2011.
