A US airstrike has killed a high-ranking al-Qaeda commander who led the terrorist group's suicide and explosive operations, dpa cited the Pentagon as saying Friday. Abu Khalil al-Sudani was killed in a US airstrike in Afghanistan's Bermal district in Paktika province on July 11, spokesman Peter Cook said. Al-Sudani was linked to plots targeting the United States, directed operations against coalition troops, Afghan and Pakistani forces and had close ties to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. He was among three terrorists killed in the strike.