Osama bin Laden dead: Efforts to eliminate terror havens must not be let down - India

NEW DELHI: Terming al Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden's killing as the "victorious milestone" in the global war against terrorism, India today said the world "must not let down" its united effort to eliminate the safe havens that have been provided to terrorists in its neighbourhood.

"President (Barack) Obama of the US has just announced that his government has conducted a successful operation that has resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden deep inside Pakistan.

"This operation brings to closure an almost decade-long search for the head of the al Qaeda," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said in a statement.

Noting the development as a "historic" and "victorious milestone", the minister said, "Over the years, thousands of innocent lives of men, women and children have been tragically lost at the hands of terrorist groups."

Asserting that the struggle must continue "unabated", Krishna said, "The world must not let down its united effort to overcome terrorism and eliminate the safe havens and sanctuaries that have been provided to terrorists in our own neighbourhood."