The Killing of bin Laden’s Successor

<p>On Monday, President Biden announced that the United States had killed Ayman al-Zawahri in a drone strike in Afghanistan. </p><p>Al-Zawahri was the leader of Al Qaeda. A long time number two to Osama bin Laden and the intellectual spine of the terrorist group, he assumed power after bin Laden was killed by U.S. in 2011. </p><p>Who was al-Zawahri, and what does his death mean for Afghanistan’s relationship with the United States and for the threat of global terrorism? </p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/eric-schmitt?smid=pc-thedaily">Eric Schmitt</a>, a senior correspondent covering national security for The New York Times.</p><p>Want more from The Daily? For one big idea on the news each week from our team, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/the-daily?module=inline">subscribe to our newsletter</a>. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>The drone strike that killed al-Zawahri, a key plotter of the 9/11 attacks,<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/01/us/politics/al-qaeda-strike-afghanistan.html?smid=pc-thedaily"> capped a 21-year manhunt</a>. </li><li>Killed at 71, al-Zawahri led a life of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/01/world/asia/ayman-al-zawahri-dead.html?smid=pc-thedaily">secrecy and violence</a>. </li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>