Al-Qaeda’s Top Leader Killed in U.S. Drone Strike |
Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the main planners of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the global leader of al-Qaeda following the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011, was killed (NYT) by a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. In a speech, U.S. President Joe Biden said “justice has been delivered” and that there were no civilian casualties.
The Taliban condemned the operation, arguing that it violated the terms (WSJ) of the 2020 agreement that led to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Biden administration said the Taliban were aware that Zawahiri was in Kabul, calling into question the group’s pledge to prevent Afghanistan from being used as safe haven for terrorist groups. Several Republican lawmakers argued that Zawahiri’s presence in Afghanistan underscored the danger of the U.S. departure last year, while the White House said his death demonstrates that effective counterterrorism doesn’t require boots on the ground.
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“Excellent news that al-Zawahiri [was] removed from [the] battlefield, but disquieting & then some that the new Taliban look to be the same old Taliban—which suggests there will be future threats emanating from Afghanistan. This is an open-ended situation to be managed, not a problem solved,” CFR President Richard Haass tweets.
“Al-Zawahri was critical to Al Qaeda’s survival in the decade since Bin Laden’s death. He held the moment through his force of personality and strategic vision,” CFR’s Bruce Hoffman tells the New York Times.
CFR’s Steven A. Cook explains how Zawahiri and other Egyptians played a role in the 9/11 attacks. |
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Pelosi Set to Visit Taiwan |
Unnamed U.S. and Taiwanese officials said (CNN) that the delegation of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will visit Taiwan this week, which would make her the first House speaker to do so in twenty-five years. The White House said China appeared to be preparing (WSJ) for a response, which could include stepped-up military exercises or missile tests near Taiwan.
This Backgrounder explains why China-Taiwan relations are so tense.
New Zealand: Parliament requested that lawmakers stop using (The Guardian) the video-sharing app TikTok, warning that downloading it could give the Chinese government access to sensitive data. |
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India to Finance Maldives Development |
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced new areas of cooperation (ANI) with the Maldives, including a $100 million credit line for development projects and funding for bridges and other infrastructure. |
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Middle East and North Africa |
Palestinian Teen Killed During Israeli Military Raid |
A teenager was killed when Israeli forces entered the Jenin refugee camp (Al Jazeera) in the occupied West Bank to arrest Bassam al-Saadi, a senior leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group.
Iraq: Protests between factions vying to lead the next government escalated in Baghdad (The National), with pro-Iran groups confronting supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr outside parliament. |
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Four Killed in South Africa Protests |
Demonstrations over rising food and energy costs in a township near Johannesburg turned violent (Al Jazeera), leading to the deaths of four protesters. Local authorities said it appeared that at least two of the deaths involved police shootings.
Senegal: The ruling coalition declared victory (AP) in Sunday’s legislative elections, but opposition leaders rejected the results and called on supporters to protest. |
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Russia’s Gazprom Sees Lowest Output in Fourteen Years |
Monthly gas production by the Russian state-owned energy giant fell 14 percent in July compared to June, dropping to a level not seen since 2008, Bloomberg found. Gazprom blamed the slowdown on maintenance, but European Union leaders expressed concerns that Moscow is seeking to limit European gas supplies.
Russia: Detained American Brittney Griner returned to court (WaPo) for the first time since U.S. officials proposed a prisoner swap that would exchange Griner and another American for a Russian arms dealer. No deal has been reached. |
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Teachers in Panama End Strike |
The country’s teachers returned to their classrooms (AP), ending a monthlong walkout after the government pledged to implement price controls on gasoline and other products.
Nicaragua: Authorities shuttered six radio stations (AP) operated by the country’s Catholic church. The stations had criticized President Daniel Ortega’s authoritarian government.
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California Declares Monkeypox Emergency |
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency (CNN) over the spread of the monkeypox virus, a move that will give his government greater leeway to expand vaccination efforts. California is the third state, after New York and Illinois, to make such a declaration. This timeline from Think Global Health tracks the global monkeypox outbreak. |
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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