Laden's son Hamza is dead: White House

The White House said in a statement on Saturday that Hamza bin Laden, a son of slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and himself a notable figure in the militant group, was killed in a US counterterrorism operation.

The White House said the operation took place in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. "The loss of Hamza bin Ladin not only deprives al-Qa'ida of important leadership skills and the symbolic connection to his father, but undermines important operational activities of the group," the statement said.