Pentagon Says al-Qaida Still has Safe Haven Inside Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon says al-Qaida still enjoys safe haven in some areas of eastern Afghanistan, and its presence worries the top American commander there.

Pentagon spokesman Capt. John Kirby says Wednesday that al-Qaida has found places it can plan and train, but he was not specific about its locations.

Kirby was responding to questions about the announcement that the U.S.-led NATO force had killed al-Qaida’s second-ranking leader in Afghanistan in an airstrike in eastern Kunar province, which borders Pakistan. He says “any number” of al-Qaida in Afghanistan is a matter of concern for Marine Gen. John Allen, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces there.