After the September 11 attacks in 2001 , the U.S. searched for bin Laden for nearly 10 years . By tracking his courier Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti to the compound , U.S. officials surmised that bin Laden was hiding there . During a raid on May 2 , 2011 , 24 members of the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group arrived by helicopter , breached a wall using explosives , and entered the compound in search of bin Laden . After the operation was completed and bin Laden was killed , Pakistan demolished the structure in February 2012
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad