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Al Qaeda Leader Zawahiri Killed in U.S.
Drone Strike in Afghanistan
August 3, 2022
On August 1, 2022, President Biden announced that two days earlier, a U.S. drone strike had killed Al
Qaeda (AQ) leader Ayman al Zawahiri in Kabul, Afghanistan. Congress may consider whether Zawahiri's
death may lead to changes in Al Qaeda's organization, operational capacity, and the threats it poses to
U.S. interests. Congress also may examine the operation and the circumstances of Zawahiri's presence in
Afghanistan in considering U.S. policy in Afghanistan, including U.S. relations with the ruling Taliban
government and U.S. over-the-horizon counterterrorism capabilities.
Zawahiri's Life and Death
Ayman al Zawahiri, born in Egypt in 1951, was AQ founder Osama bin Laden's deputy for over a decade,
and served as Al Qaeda's leader (or emir) after Bin Laden's May 2011 killing. Zawahiri was indicted for
his role in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in east Africa, and was deeply involved in the planning
of 9/11 and other major attacks. Zawahiri lacked Bin Laden's charisma, and under his leadership, Al
Qaeda experienced the internal dispute that led to the founding of the rival Islamic State (IS) organization
that arguably overshadowed Al Qaeda after 2014. Some analysts argue that Zawahiri's decentralized and
less flashy approach was an asset, allowing AQ affiliates to establish a durable presence in local
communities while the Islamic State group bore the brunt of U.S.-led counterterrorism efforts.
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
IN11976

CRS INSIGHT
Prepared for Members and
Committees of Congress -

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