Ayman al-Zawahiri: Difference between revisions

|name = Ayman al-Zawahiri<br>{{lang|ar|أيمن محمد ربيع الظواهري}}

|order= 2nd General Emir of [[Alal-Qaeda]]

| term_start= June 16, 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11489337|title=Alal-Qaeda's remaining leaders|date=June 16, 2015|publisher=BBC News|access-date=April 28, 2017}}</ref>

| order2= Deputy Emir of [[Alal-Qaeda]]

| order3= Co-founder of [[Alal-Qaeda]] (with [[Abdullah Azzam]] and [[Osama bin Laden]])

| successor5= Merger with [[Alal-Qaeda]]

|access-date = September 8, 2014}}</ref> <br> [[File:Flag of al-Qaeda.svg|25px]] [[Alal-Qaeda]] <br> (1988–2022)

|rank = General [[Emir]] of [[Alal-Qaeda]]

'''Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri'''<ref>{{lang-ar|أيمن محمد ربيع الظواهري}}{{spaces|2}}''{{transl|ar|DIN|ʾAyman Muḥammad Rabīʿ aẓ-Ẓawāhirī}}''</ref> (June 19, 1951 &ndash; July 31, 2022) was an [[Egypt]]ian militant who served as the second general emir of [[terroristal-Qaeda]] from June 2011 until his death in July 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/wanted_terrorists/ayman-al-zawahiri|title=AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI|website=Federal Bureau of Investigation}}</ref> He was the leader of the militant [[Islamist]] organization [[al-Qaeda]].<ref name=bbc16jun11>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-13788594|title=Zawahiri 'becomes al-Qaeda chief'|work=BBC News |date=June 16, 2011}}</ref> Ayman al-Zawahiri was member of Islamist organizations which have organised and carried out attacks in [[North America]], [[Asia]], [[Africa]] and the [[Middle East]]. In 2012 he called on fellow [[Muslim]]s to [[kidnap]] [[Western world|western]] [[tourist]]s in [[Muslim countries]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/10/27/world/asia/al-qaedaQaeda-kidnap-threat/index.html|title=Al Qaeda leader calls for kidnapping of Westerners|first=By Chelsea J. Carter|last=CNN|website=CNN|date=October 27, 2012 }}</ref>

Since the [[September 11 attacks]] until his death, U.S. State Department offered a [[US$]]25 million reward for information leading to al-Zawahiri's arrest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/zawahiri/profile.html|title=CNN Programs - People in the News|website=edition.cnn.com}}</ref> He was under worldwide sanctions by the United Nations Security Council 1267 Committee as a member or [[wikt:affiliate|affiliate]] of al-Qaeda.<ref name=refUN>{{cite web|url=http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/committees/1267/tablelist.htm|title=UN list of affiliates of al-Qaeda and the Taliban}}</ref> In 1998 Ayman made a [[Fatwa|religious ruling]] alongside 3 other scholars encouraging jihad against the [[US]] and its allies.<ref>{{Cite web|title=World Islamic Front Statement Urging Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders|url=https://irp.fas.org/world/para/docs/980223-fatwa-orig.htm|access-date=2024-05-28|website=irp.fas.org}}</ref> Ayman also asked to attack [[Americans|american]] and [[ally]] [[Military base|millitary base]].

Al-Zawahiri studied medicine in [[Cairo]]. He successfully completed his studies in 1974. He worked as a [[surgeon]] for three years in the Egyptian [[army]]. After that, he worked in a hospital in Cairo. In 1980 and 1981, al-Zawahiri travelled to [[Pakistan]] to help the [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|Red Crescent movement]]. In 1986, he met [[Osama bin Laden]] and he became closely associated with him. In 1988, bin Laden would go on to establish the [[al-Qaeda]] organization network and al-Zawahiri served as his second-in-command. Both men were based in [[Afghanistan]] at this time and al-Zawahiri held a significant sway over the organization's operations abroad.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/189980/zawahiri-named-new-al-qaedaQaeda-chief-statement/|title=Succession to throne: Ayman al Zawahiri named head of al Qaeda|date=June 16, 2011 |publisher=The Express Tribune}}</ref>

Al-Zawahiri is the author of several works, including numerous al-Qaeda statements. He spoke [[Arabic language|Arabic]], [[English language|English]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD202208|title=Alal-Qaeda Deputy Head Ayman Al-Zawahiri in Audio Recording: Musharraf Accepted Israel's Existence}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/2540522/Alal-Qaeda-chief-Ayman-Zawahiri-attacks-Pakistans-Pervez-Musharraf-in-video.html | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | title=Al-Qa'eda chief Ayman Zawahiri attacks Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf in video | first=Isambard | last=Wilkinson | date= August 11, 2008 | access-date= April 26, 2010}}</ref> and [[French language|French]].

Al-Zawahiri was killed on July 31, 2022 shortly after 6:00 AM local time (9:00 PM [[Eastern Time]]),{{efn|Depending on the time zone, the date of his death may be different locally.}} in an early-morning [[drone strike]] by the [[Central Intelligence Agency]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last1=Ward |first1=Alexander |last2=Toosi |first2=Nahal |last3=Seligman |first3=Lara |date=August 1, 2022 |title=U.S. kills Alal-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri in drone strike |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/01/sources-u-s-kills-al-qaedaQaeda-leader-ayman-al-zawahri-in-drone-strike-00049089 |access-date=August 1, 2022 |website=[[Politico]] |language=en}}</ref> Since this was a [[wikt:specialized|specialized]] attack, there were no other casualties except al-Zawahiri.<ref name="NYT">{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Helene |last2=Barnes |first2=Julian E. |last3=Schmitt |first3=Eric |title=Live Updates: U.S. Drone Strike Said to Have Killed Top Qaeda Leader |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/08/01/us/al-qaedaQaeda-strike-us#al-qaedaQaeda-strike-afghanistan |accessdate=1 August 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=1 August 2022}}</ref> Zawahiri was living in a friend's house in [[Kabul]], [[Afghanistan]], which was where the drone struck.<ref name="CNN">{{cite news |last1=Liptak |first1=Kevin |last2=Atwood |first2=Kylie |last3=Bertrand |first3=Natasha |last4=Judd |first4=Donald |title=US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/01/politics/joe-biden-counter-terrorism/index.html |accessdate=1 August 2022 |work=CNN}}</ref> He was 71 years old.<ref name=":1"/>

[[Category:Alal-Qaeda people]]