Ayman al-Zawahiri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ayman al-Zawahiri
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أيمن الظواهري
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Al-Zawahiri in 2001
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| 2nd General Emir of al-Qaeda | |
| In office 16 June 2011 – 31 July 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Osama bin Laden |
| Succeeded by | Saif al-Adel (de facto) |
| Emir of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad | |
| In office 1991–1998 |
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| Preceded by | Muhammad Abd al-Salam Faraj |
| Succeeded by | Position disestablished (merged with Al-Qaeda) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 June 1951 Giza, Kingdom of Egypt |
| Died | 31 July 2022 (aged 71) Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Cause of death | Drone strike |
| Spouses |
Azza Ahmad
(m. 1978; died 2001)
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| Children | 7 |
| Alma mater | Cairo University |
| Occupation | Surgeon |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
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| Years of service | 1974–2022 |
| Rank | General Emir of Al-Qaeda |
| Battles/wars |
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Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri (Arabic: أيمن محمد ربيع الظواهري; born June 19, 1951 – died July 31, 2022) was an Egyptian doctor who became a leader of the global militant group al-Qaeda. He served as the second general leader of al-Qaeda from June 2011 until his death in July 2022. He was known for his involvement in planning major attacks, including the September 11 attacks in the United States.
Al-Zawahiri studied medicine at Cairo University and became a surgeon. He was a key figure in the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, an Egyptian group. He was held in prison from 1981 to 1984 for his connection to the killing of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. His actions against the Egyptian government led to him being sentenced to a severe punishment by an Egyptian court in 1999 while not present.
He was a close associate of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Al-Zawahiri was wanted by the United States and the United Nations for his role in the 1998 United States embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. He merged the Egyptian Islamic Jihad with al-Qaeda in 2001. He became bin Laden's deputy in 2004 and took over as al-Qaeda's leader after bin Laden's death in 2011. The U.S. offered a $25 million reward for information leading to his capture.
On July 31, 2022, al-Zawahiri was killed in a drone strike by the U.S. in Afghanistan.
Contents
Personal Life
Early Years
Ayman al-Zawahiri was born on June 19, 1951, in Giza, Egypt. His parents were Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri and Umayma Azzam.
His family was well-known and respected. They had many doctors and scholars. His father was a surgeon and a professor at Cairo University. His mother's family was also wealthy and involved in politics.
Ayman al-Zawahiri had a younger brother, Muhammad al-Zawahiri, and two sisters. His sister Heba became a professor of medical oncology. She described her brother as "silent and shy."
Youth and Education
Ayman al-Zawahiri was a studious young person. He did well in school and enjoyed poetry. He studied medicine at Cairo University and graduated in 1974. He then worked as a surgeon in the Egyptian Army for a few years. In 1978, he earned a master's degree in surgery. He could speak Arabic, English, and French.
As a student, al-Zawahiri became very interested in religious and political ideas. By the age of 15, he joined a group that aimed to change the government and establish an Islamic state. This group later merged with others to form the Egyptian Islamic Jihad.
Family Life
Ayman al-Zawahiri was married at least four times. His wives included Azza Ahmed Nowari and Umaima Hassan.
In 1978, he married his first wife, Azza Ahmed Nowari. Their wedding was very traditional. Al-Zawahiri and Azza had four daughters: Fatima, Umayma, Nabila, and Khadiga. They also had a son named Mohammed. Later, they had another daughter, Aisha.
In December 2001, his first wife Azza and two of their children, Mohammad and Aisha, died in an airstrike in Afghanistan.
In 2005, one of his surviving wives gave birth to a daughter named Nawwar. In 2012, his wife Umaima Hassan released a statement online. She spoke about the role of Muslim women in the Arab Spring.
Medical Career
In 1981, Ayman al-Zawahiri traveled to Peshawar, Pakistan. He worked in a Red Crescent hospital there. He treated refugees who had been injured. During this time, he discussed the need for Islamic government and helping the Afghan people.
Al-Zawahiri worked as a surgeon. In 1985, he visited Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage. He stayed there for a year to practice medicine in Jeddah. When his group merged with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda, he became bin Laden's personal advisor and doctor. They first met in Jeddah in 1986.
In 1993, al-Zawahiri traveled to the United States. He spoke at several mosques in California. He used a different name, Abdul Mu'iz. He raised money for Afghan children injured by land mines.
Involvement in Major Events
Actions in Egypt
In 1981, al-Zawahiri was among many people arrested. This happened after the killing of President Anwar Sadat. He faced harsh conditions in prison. He was released from prison in 1984.
In 1993, al-Zawahiri's group was linked to bombing attempts. These attempts targeted Egyptian government officials. The police arrested many members of his group.
For their role in attacks against the Egyptian Government in the 1990s, al-Zawahiri was sentenced to a severe punishment by an Egyptian court in 1999 while not present.
Actions in Pakistan
In 1995, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad group, led by al-Zawahiri, carried out an attack on the Egyptian embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.
In July 2007, al-Zawahiri provided guidance for a conflict at the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in Islamabad. This event resulted in about 100 deaths.
He was also connected to the killing of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007.
Actions Against the United States
In 1998, Ayman al-Zawahiri was wanted by the United States. This was for his role in the 1998 United States embassy bombings. These attacks happened on August 7, 1998. Hundreds of people died in simultaneous truck bomb explosions at U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.
In 2000, he was linked to the attack on the USS Cole. On October 10, 2001, al-Zawahiri was placed on the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list.
Organizations
Egyptian Islamic Jihad
Al-Zawahiri became a key leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ). This group aimed to change the government in Egypt. He hoped to recruit military officers and gather weapons. The goal was to overthrow the existing order.
Maktab al-Khadamat
In Peshawar, he met Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden was running a base for fighters called Maktab al-Khadamat. This group was founded by Abdullah Yusuf Azzam.
Al-Qaeda
Al-Zawahiri worked within the al-Qaeda organization from its beginning. He was a senior member of the group's council. He was often described as a close advisor to Osama bin Laden. Some even called him the "real brains" of al-Qaeda.
On February 23, 1998, al-Zawahiri issued a joint religious statement with Osama bin Laden. It was titled "World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders." Many believe al-Zawahiri was the main author of this statement.
In 1999, the United Nations placed al-Zawahiri under international sanctions. This was because of his membership in al-Qaeda.
In June 2001, al-Zawahiri formally merged the Egyptian Islamic Jihad into al-Qaeda.
Becoming Al-Qaeda's Leader
By late 2004, bin Laden officially named al-Zawahiri as his deputy. After bin Laden's death in 2011, al-Zawahiri became the new leader of al-Qaeda.
His new role was announced on al-Qaeda websites on June 16, 2011. Some experts thought the delay in the announcement might mean there were disagreements within al-Qaeda. However, U.S. officials believed the delay did not signal any major dispute.
Activities and Whereabouts
After the September 11 Attacks
In December 2001, al-Zawahiri published a book called Knights Under the Prophet's Banner. This book explained al-Qaeda's ideas.
After the United States invasion of Afghanistan, al-Zawahiri's location was unknown for a long time. It was generally thought he was in tribal areas of Pakistan. He often released videos of himself. However, he did not appear alongside bin Laden in any videos after 2003.
As General Emir of Al-Qaeda
In 2012, al-Zawahiri called on Muslims to seek the release of foreign citizens. This was to help free Omar Abdel-Rahman, who was involved in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
In June 2013, al-Zawahiri spoke against the merger of two groups, the Islamic State of Iraq and Jabhat al-Nusra. The leader of al-Nusra Front, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, confirmed his group's loyalty to al-Qaeda and al-Zawahiri.
In September 2015, al-Zawahiri urged the Islamic State (ISIL) to stop fighting al-Nusra Front. He called for all groups to unite against what he saw as their common enemies.
Al-Zawahiri also released statements supporting groups fighting in places like Xinjiang, Caucasus, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He mentioned Uyghurs in Kashgar and praised their fighters.
The Rewards for Justice Program of the U.S. Department of State offered a reward of up to US$25 million for information about al-Zawahiri's location.
Views
Islamism
As a leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, al-Zawahiri believed in a revolutionary movement. He thought heroic fighters would inspire people to join them. After this movement faced difficulties in Egypt, al-Zawahiri joined al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda had broader international goals, focusing on conflict with the United States.
Loyalty and Enmity
In a long writing called "Loyalty and Enmity," al-Zawahiri stated that Muslims should always be loyal to Islam and to each other. He also said they should avoid or dislike everything and everyone outside of Islam.
Role of Women
Al-Zawahiri said in an April 2008 interview that al-Qaeda did not have women fighters. He believed a woman's role was to care for the homes and children of the fighters.
Death
Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed on July 31, 2022. This happened shortly after 6:00 a.m. local time in Kabul, Afghanistan. He died in a drone strike carried out by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. He was reportedly in a house owned by a top aide to a senior official in the Taliban government.
President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. Intelligence Community had located al-Zawahiri in Kabul in early 2022. President Biden authorized the operation a week before it happened. He also stated that the operation did not harm any members of al-Zawahiri's family or other civilians.
Al-Zawahiri was killed by missiles fired from a drone.
In February 2023, the United Nations reported that many countries believed Saif al-Adel was the new leader of al-Qaeda. However, al-Qaeda had not formally named him.
Publications
- Knights Under the Prophet's Banner
- Co-author of Fatāwa of Osama bin Laden (1998)
- World Islamic Front Statement (1998)
See also
In Spanish: Aymán az Zawahirí para niños
