US issues worldwide caution notice to Americans after Ayman al-Zawahri's death

Washington, Aug 03: The United States has warned Americans overseas to be on high alert following the killing of al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri over the weekend.

"On July 31, 2022, the United States conducted a precision counterterrorism strike in Afghanistan that killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's deputy and successor as leader of al-Qa'ida. Al- Zawahiri was one of the masterminds of the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, and had continued to urge his followers to attack the United States," a statement from state department said.

"Following al-Zawahiri's death, supporters of al- Qa'ida, or its affiliated terrorist organizations, may seek to attack U.S. facilities, personnel, or citizens. As terrorist attacks often occur without warning, U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness when traveling abroad," it added.

A US drone strike in Afghanistan this weekend killed Ayman al-Zawahri, who took over as Al-Qaeda leader after Osama bin Laden's death in a US raid.

The strike, carried out by the Central Intelligence Agency, was confirmed by five people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity before President Biden was set to brief the nation.

Al-Zawahri's loss eliminates the figure who more than anyone shaped al-Qaida, first as Osama bin Laden's deputy since 1998, then as his successor. Together, he and bin Laden turned the jihadi movement's guns to target the United States, carrying out the deadliest attack ever on American soil - the September 11, 2001, suicide hijackings.

The attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon made bin Laden America's Enemy No. 1. But he likely could never have carried it out without his deputy.

Zawahri, on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist list, had a USD 25 million bounty on his head for any information that could be used to kill or capture him.