Egyptian jihadist Seif al-Adl is the brand new chief of Al-Qaeda

Jihadist Seif al-Adl, a former member of Egypt’s Particular Forces based mostly in Iran, has been the chief of al-Qaeda since Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in the summertime of 2022, the State Division stated on Wednesday.

“Our evaluation is similar as that of the UN – specifically that the brand new de facto chief of Al-Qaeda Seif al-Adl relies in Iran” , indicated a spokesman for the American diplomacy, in reference to a United Nations report launched on Tuesday.

This report indicated that the prevailing view amongst member states was that Seif al-Adl was “now the de facto chief of al-Qaeda, representing continuity for now”.

However, in response to this textual content, the group didn’t formally declare him “emir” for 2 causes: firstly as a result of it’s a delicate topic vis-à-vis the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan, who didn’t need to acknowledge that Zawahiri was killed by People in a home in Kabul final yr.

Then as a result of Seif al-Adl resides in Iran, a predominantly Shiite nation, whereas Al-Qaeda is a Sunni group. “The place it’s based mostly raises questions that weigh on al-Qaeda’s ambitions to say its management of a worldwide motion within the face of challenges from IS,” the rival Islamic State group, says the UN report.

Seif al-Adl, now in his 60s, was as soon as a lieutenant colonel within the Egyptian Particular Forces. He’s a determine of the previous guard of Al-Qaeda. He helped construct the group’s operational capabilities and educated a number of the hijackers who took half within the September 11, 2001 assaults on the USA, in response to the Counter Extremism Mission.

He has been in Iran since 2002 or 2003 and whereas he was initially below home arrest, he was later in a position to make journeys to Pakistan, in response to Ali Soufan, a former FBI investigator.

“Seif is among the most skilled skilled troopers within the international Jdihadist motion, and his physique bears the marks of fight,” he wrote in 2021 within the CTC Journal.