Petraeus says al-Qaida not operating in Afghanistan, but affiliated groups have sanctuaries

Petraeus: al-Qaida not operating in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The chief of the U.S. Central Command says al-Qaida no longer is operating in Afghanistan. But Gen. David Petraeus (peh-TRAY’-uhs) says affiliated organizations still have “enclaves and sanctuaries” in the country.

Petraeus says al-Qaida, which carried out the Sept. 11 attacks, has suffered “very significant losses” in recent months in its hide-outs across the rugged, mountainous border in Pakistan.

He’s praising Pakistan for its offensive to root out Taliban militants sheltering al-Qaida.

Petraeus spoke Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”