Man visits compound where Osama bin Laden was hiding before he was killed – and finds something unexpected
For years, the compound where Osama bin Laden spent his final years was one of the most notorious addresses in the world.
But a travel vlogger who recently visited the site in Bilal Town, Pakistan, found that its grim history has been replaced by something far more ordinary: a makeshift cricket field filled with local children.
Luke On The Move, a YouTuber with nearly 47,000 subscribers, documented his visit to the former compound in a video shared online.
The three-story building where bin Laden was hiding was demolished by Pakistani authorities in 2012, and the cleared land is now being used by children from the neighborhood.
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Luke was struck by how dramatically the location had changed when he arrived.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Osama bin Laden's compound right here in Bilal Town. We've made it. So everybody, my first impression of the compound is that it's been turned into a wonderful cricket field,” he said.
What happened to Osama bin Laden's compound?
Bin Laden, the former leader of al-Qaeda, was killed by US Navy SEALs at the property on May 2, 2011, during a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
The compound had attracted international attention because of the secrecy surrounding bin Laden's presence there.
He had spent years behind its tall exterior walls while evading capture.
The building itself no longer exists. Pakistani authorities tore it down the following year amid concerns that the property could become a tourist attraction or a gathering place for extremists.
During his visit, Luke walked across the cleared plot and spoke with some of the children playing there.
He noted the size of the former property compared with the homes surrounding it.
He also pointed out that the site is now being used as a completely ordinary community space.
“So clearly, as you can see, this place is no longer some big threat or negative area. It's just full of kids playing cricket, having fun, enjoying themselves. This is a harmless place,” he said.
Where was Osama bin Laden killed?
The visit also gave Luke a chance to see what remains of one of the most significant locations connected to the hunt for bin Laden.
As he explored the site, local children began picking up pieces of concrete rubble and handing them to him. The fragments appeared to be remnants from the former compound.
For the vlogger, physically holding pieces of the site made the history feel particularly immediate.
“That is crazy to be standing here touching this. The US Navy SEALs arrived here at 3:00 in the morning to take out the world's most wanted man. Wow. A piece of the compound. Wow. Crazy. They're just giving me pieces of Osama bin Laden's compound,” he said.
Luke also highlighted another notable detail about the location: a Pakistani military academy is situated roughly one mile from the former compound.
After exploring the area, he joined the children for a game of cricket before leaving Bilal Town.
Thomas Bamford