ɪn sɛptˈɛmbɚ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ɪlˈɛvən, ðɪ ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl sᵻkjˈʊɹɹᵻɾi ɐsˈɪstəns fˈoːɹs ˈɪsæf ˈɪʃuːd ɐ pɹˈɛs ɹᵻlˈiːs stˈeɪɾɪŋ ðeɪ hæd nˈɑːlɪdʒ ðæt lˈæl mˈɛlmə wʌz "ɪn kˈɑːntækt wɪð sˈɛvɹəl sˈiːnjɚɹ ˈæl kˈaɪdə mˈɛmbɚz θɹuːˈaʊt kˈʌnɑːɹ ænd pˌækɪstˈæn"
In September 2011, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) issued a press release stating they had knowledge that Lal Melma was "in contact with several senior al Qaeda members throughout Kunar and Pakistan"