Rumored dead, Al Qaeda’s Zawahiri surfaces in video

Kabul: Twenty years after the ghastly terror attack on the US, Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, rumored dead, has surfaced in a video released on the 9/11 anniversary.

US-based SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks the online activity of jihadist groups, reported that Zawahiri spoke on a number of issues.

Rita Katz, SITE’s Director tweeted, “Amid rumors of his death, Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri shown in a new 60-minute video, this time offering some evidence that he is not dead — particularly, reference to events after December when rumors of death surfaced.”

In the video, Zawahiri talked about a raid on a Russian military base by the Al-Qaeda-aligned Hurras al-Deen in Syria, which it claimed on January 1.

The clip introduces Zawahiri with “May Allah Protect Him.” The video also uses clips from the Taliban media, showing its fighters.

“Yet another signal of the importance of the Taliban in the global jihadist movement’s narrative since 9/11, and how the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan is also Al-Qaeda’s victory,” tweeted Katz.

As per Katz, pro-Al Qaeda media groups are outpouring with 9/11 celebrations and incitements: posters, videos, hashtags, etc. It is a very organized and thoroughly prepped campaign–nothing like what I’ve seen in previous years.

Image courtesy of (credit: Twitter@Rita_Katz)

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