Killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri

Killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri

Part of the War on terror and Afghan conflict
U.S. President Joe Biden meets with his national security team on July 1 to discuss the drone strike on Ayman al-Zawahiri. The wooden box in front of Biden contains a replica of the house where al-Zawahiri was living in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Date	31 July 2022 (2022-07-31)
Time	c. 6:18 am[1]
Location	Sherpur, Kabul, Afghanistan
Coordinates	34°32′03″N 69°10′33″E / 34.53417°N 69.17583°E / 34.53417; 69.17583
Type	Drone strike[1]
Executed by	Central Intelligence Agency's Special Activities Center

Ayman al-Zawahiri, the second leader of the Islamist group al-Qaeda, was killed in Afghanistan on July 31, 2022.

The strike came nearly a year after the conclusion of the War in Afghanistan. U.S. officials called al-Zawahiri's presence in Afghanistan a violation of the agreement for the withdrawal of American forces from the country, under which the Taliban would not allow al-Qaeda members any sanctuary. Following the strike, members of the Haqqani network tried to cover up al-Zawahiri's death, although the U.S. was able to confirm it. In response to the strike, Biden released a statement announcing al-Zawahiri's death, calling it a "deliverance of justice".^[2]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Baker, Peter; Cooper, Helene; Barnes, Julian; Schmitt, Eric (1 August 2022). "U.S. Drone Strike Kills Ayman al-Zawahri, Top Qaeda Leader". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
2. ↑ Lee, Matthew; Merchant, Nomaan; Madhani, Aamer (1 August 2022). "Biden: Killing of al-Qaida leader is long-sought 'justice'". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 1 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.