Fifteen years have passed since al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed during a US operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan, but the legacy of his presence in the city continues to attract attention.
Bin Laden lived for several years with his family in a fortified compound in Abbottabad’s Bilal Town, near a major military installation. His presence there remained unknown to the wider public until the US operation that killed him.
For many residents, it was difficult to understand how one of the world’s most wanted men could live for years with his family in a heavily fortified house in the city without being discovered.
The Pakistani government demolished the compound shortly after the Abbottabad operation. Today, the building no longer exists and the site has been turned into an empty plot of land. Local children reportedly use the area to play cricket in the evenings.
Despite the demolition, traces of the former structure can still be seen, including remnants of sturdy columns and parts of the foundation. The location continues to be popularly associated with bin Laden and is still referred to by many residents as the site of his compound.
Some local residents continue to question the official account surrounding bin Laden’s death, with some describing the entire episode as a “show.” Their doubts have kept the controversial history of the location alive even 15 years after the operation.
The Abbottabad compound has therefore disappeared physically, but its story remains a significant and controversial chapter in Pakistan’s modern history.