A rare video has appeared of al-Qaida's chief praising an Indian Muslim woman who in February defied a ban on hijab wearing, revealing the first proof in years that he is still alive.
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Rumors of the death of Ayman al-Zawahri have circulated for more than two years, but in a video released on Tuesday and translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, the reclusive al-Qaida chief praises Muskan Khan, who defied a ban on the wearing of the hijab in schools in India's southwestern state of Karnataka.
Previous videos of Zawahri could not clearly identify the time in which they were recorded, fueling speculation about his deteriorating health and even his death.
There is no clear indication of the location of Zawahri from the video.
Zawahri took over leadership of al Qaida after the 2011 death of Osama bin Laden, killed by US Navy SEALS during a daring nighttime raid deep inside Pakistan where he was hiding.
