WASHINGTON (AP) -- It appears al-Qaida has suffered another major
blow.

A CIA drone strike may have killed the terror organization's new second-in-command.

A senior Obama administration official says Atiyah Abd al-Rahman (AH'-tee-ah ahl-RAHK'-mahn) was killed Monday in Pakistan's tribal region of Waziristan.

That's the same day a drone strike was reported in the area.

Al-Rahman was a close confidant of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida's operational chief.

Al-Rahman's death is a big blow to the terrorist group and comes
as U.S. officials have said in the aftermath of bin Laden's killing
that a few more high-profile deaths could break al-Qaida's back.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss
sensitive intelligence operations.