Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri killed

The U.S. has killed the leader of Al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in a drone strike in Afghanistan, President Joe Biden has confirmed
     

Born: Cairo, Egypt, Jun 19, 1951

1973: Helps to found Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) militant group

1974: Graduates from Cairo University, serves as surgeon in Egyptian army for three years

1981: Arrested after assassination of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, imprisoned for three years

1985: Leaves Egypt for Pakistan, treats wounded mujahideen fighters during Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

1986: Meets Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, becomes his personal adviser and physician

1998: Becomes second-in-command of Al Qaeda. Indicted in U.S. for his role in East African embassy bombings that killed 224 people and injured thousands
 
2000: Accused of plotting attack on U.S. Navy destroyer, USS Cole, in which 17 sailors were killed
 
2001: Believed to be “operational brains” behind 9/11 attacks. U.S. offers $25m reward for his capture
 
2011: Becomes head of Al-Qaeda after bin Laden is killed by U.S.
 
Aug 1, 2022: Biden announces killing of Zawahiri in “precision” U.S. drone strike in centre of Afghan capital, Kabul
            

Approximate area of drone strike
U.S. Embassy
KABUL 
Presidential Palace 
1km 0.6 miles
                         
Sources: BBC, Reuters, The White House 
Pictures: Twitter, Getty Images 
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