Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Osama bin Laden's compound |
|
|---|---|
|
Waziristan Haveli
|
|
CIA aerial view of Osama bin Laden's compound from east (2011)
|
|
| Alternative names | Bin Laden hideout compound |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Compound |
| Location | Bilal Town, Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 34°10′9.6″N 73°14′32.8″E / 34.169333°N 73.242444°E |
| Elevation | 1,260 m (4,130 ft) |
| Construction started | 2003 |
| Completed | 2005 |
| Inaugurated | 6 January 2006 (date bin Laden was believed to have moved in) |
| Demolished | 26 February 2012 |
| Cost | US$250,000–1,000,000+ (disputed) (Rs. 21.25–85 million) |
| Client | Osama bin Laden |
| Owner | Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, Mohammed Arshad |
| Height | |
| Roof | 8.76 m (28 ft 9 in) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Floor area | 3,500 m2 (38,000 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Mohammed Younis |
| Architecture firm | Modern Associates |
| Structural engineer | Gul Mohammed (wall builder), Noor Mohammad |
| Main contractor | Noor Mohammed |
The Osama bin Laden's compound, also known as the Waziristan Haveli, was a large, walled house. It was used as a secret hiding place for Osama bin Laden, a Saudi militant leader. U.S. forces found him there and he was killed on May 2, 2011.
The compound was located in Bilal Town, a suburb of Abbottabad, Pakistan. This area is known for housing many retired military officers. Bin Laden reportedly lived in a part of the house for at least five years. He had no Internet or phone connection and stayed hidden from the public. People living nearby did not know he was there.
About the Compound
The main buildings of the compound were finished in 2005. They sat on a large plot of land, much bigger than other houses nearby. High concrete walls, about 12 to 18 feet tall, surrounded the property. These walls had barbed wire on top for extra security. The compound also had two security gates.
The house itself had very few windows. Even though it was only a few years old, the buildings looked a bit run down and needed repainting. The property included a well-kept vegetable garden. There were also rabbits, about 100 chickens, and a cow. The house did not look very different from other homes in the area. However, its large size and extreme security measures made it stand out. For example, a privacy wall on the third-floor balcony was over 7 feet tall. Pictures from inside the house showed that it was quite cluttered and had simple furniture.
The Search and the Raid
After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the U.S. government searched for Osama bin Laden for almost 10 years. They tracked one of his messengers, Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, to this compound. U.S. officials then believed that bin Laden was hiding there.
On May 2, 2011, a special team of 24 U.S. Navy SEALs arrived by helicopter. They used explosives to break through a wall and entered the compound. Their goal was to find bin Laden. After the operation was completed and bin Laden was killed, the Pakistani government tore down the structure in February 2012.
Images for kids
-
Diagram of the compound
-
View of the compound, looking north from the south side of a wall turning slightly northeast
See also
- Osama bin Laden's house in Khartoum
- Manhunt for Osama bin Laden
