The U.S. Hellfire missiles that killed Ayman al-Zawahri dealt al-Qaida a powerful symbolic blow, but its far-flung branches are tactically independent and will not be deterred from plotting more attacks on local and Western targets, experts say.
On his watch ¡ª which began with the 2011 death of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida¡¯s original driving force ¡ª the group often lost ground to the Islamic State in a contest for relevance, especially among young jihadi fighters lured by the newer group¡¯s self-proclaimed caliphate.
Handicapped by a reputation for inflexibility and small-mindedness, and not widely popular, al-Zawahri could not match bin Laden¡®s flair for reaching out from al-Qaida¡¯s hideouts in south Asia to forge bonds with like-minded groups around the globe.
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