Ayman al-Zawahri succeeded Osama bin Laden as al-Qaida leader after years as its main organizer and strategist, but his lack of charisma and competition from rival militants Islamic State hobbled his ability to inspire spectacular attacks on the West.
Al-Zawahri, 71, was killed in a U.S. drone strike, U.S. President Joe Biden said Monday evening. U.S. officials said the attack took place Sunday in the Afghan capital Kabul.
He had watched in dismay as al-Qaida was effectively sidelined by the 2011 Arab revolts, launched mainly by middle class activists and intellectuals opposed to decades of autocracy.