Al Qaeda has announced the death of its top leader in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, according to the SITE group which monitors Islamist websites.

Yazid, an Egyptian national, was a founding member of Al Qaeda and a trusted former treasurer to terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.

The SITE statement did not say how Yazid died, but said the message from Al Qaeda to jihadist forums said his wife, three of his daughters, his grand-daughter, and other men, women, and children, were killed.

- AFP