Washington: Stamping out al-Qaeda "once and for all" and capturing or killing its elusive leader Osama bin Laden would be a "top priority" for the next US government as it planned to redeploy its troops from Iraq to Afghanistan, President-elect Barack Obama has said.

"I think it is a top priority for us to stamp out al-Qaeda once and for all. And I think capturing or killing bin Laden is a critical aspect of stamping out al-Qaeda," Obama said in his maiden interview since his historic win in the November 4 US presidential election.

"He is not just a symbol, he s also the operational leader of an organisation that is planning attacks against US targets," Obama told CBS News.

Asked when he would start redeployment of US troops out of Iraq, Obama, who is scheduled to be sworn-in as the 44th US President, the first black-American, said it would happen soon.

"Well, I've said during the campaign, and I've stuck to this commitment, that as soon as I take office, I will call in the Joint Chiefs of Staff, my national security apparatus, and we will start executing a plan that draws down our troops."

Since US troops were having "problems" in Afghanistan, he said the government had to step up its efforts to contain the threat it faced from the al-Qaeda in the war-ravaged nation.

"Particularly in light of the problems that we're having in Afghanistan, which has continued to worsen. We ve got to shore up those efforts," he said.

Asked whether he would follow through his election promise to shut down the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison facility in Cuba, he said, "Yes. I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that."
Source : PTI