In 2011, United States forces killed the al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The operation, code-named "Operation Neptune Spear," was carried out by the U.S. Navy SEALs and resulted in the death of one of the world's most wanted terrorists, who was responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. The successful operation was a significant milestone in the fight against terrorism and brought closure to a long-standing manhunt for bin Laden.