Kabul_ Intelligence consortium has released a video allegedly showing Hamza bin Laden son of al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, present somewhere inside Afghanistan. According to the consortium, the footage was recorded several months ago, but all digital identifiers were deliberately removed to prevent tracing the exact location.
The consortium stated that the video’s environment and background align with long-standing intelligence assessments suggesting Hamza bin Laden may have relocated to Afghanistan after years of secrecy.
Afghan news agency Khaama Press also reported the claim, noting that the Taliban authorities have so far issued no official response.
Footage Shows Urban-Like Background
In the released video, Hamza bin Laden appears in an open outdoor space with what resembles an urban settlement in the background. The consortium did not specify the location but said the setting bears similarities to areas that international intelligence agencies have previously identified as potential al Qaeda safe havens.
Taliban Denials vs. Global Assessments
The Taliban have repeatedly asserted that no foreign militant networks, including al Qaeda, operate from Afghan soil, and that they do not allow any group to use Afghanistan for attacks.
However, multiple international reports, including assessments from Pakistan, China, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, and other regional security agencies, have consistently warned that groups such as al Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and others continue to maintain operational footprints in Afghanistan.
Zawahiri’s Killing Raised Questions
The emergence of the new footage comes two years after al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Kabul’s Sherpur neighborhood in August 2022, an incident that sharply renewed global concerns over the Taliban’s ties with al Qaeda following the U.S. withdrawal.
UN Reports Highlight Al Qaeda Activity
UN Security Council monitoring reports have repeatedly highlighted that al Qaeda maintains multiple training camps in Afghanistan, with locations cited in Parwan, Ghazni, Laghman, and Uruzgan provinces. A study by the Paris Geopolitics Academy also suggested that Hamza bin Laden might be present in Panjshir, although no independent verification exists.
Western Analysts: Video Could Signal Leadership Activity
Western intelligence specialists say the newly surfaced footage has intensified debate within the counter-terrorism community. Some analysts argue that if the video is authenticated, it may signal that al Qaeda’s leadership is not only intact but actively maintaining its regional presence.
Verification of the footage may take time. In the meantime, global intelligence agencies are expected to closely monitor Afghanistan amid renewed concerns that the country could again become a sanctuary for transnational militant groups.
Earlier Reports of Hamza’s Death
It is worth noting that on September 14, 2019, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly confirmed that Hamza bin Laden had been killed in a U.S. counterterrorism operation. U.S. media, citing intelligence sources, reported that he died in an airstrike.
Despite those claims, Hamza’s fate has long remained unclear. Named a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. in 2017, Hamza had been considered a potential future leader of al Qaeda and had issued multiple audio-video messages calling for attacks against the U.S. and other countries.
