Has al-Qaeda found Zarqawi's successor?
The emergence of Shaker Wahib, a young, charismatic field commander in the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), may be tied to the organization’s deeper goals.
Al-Qaeda commander Shaker Wahib is the heir apparent of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his legacy with Iraqi and regional young al-Qaeda militants, who cite his words and speeches more than they do those of the organization’s founder Osama bin Laden, its current leader Ayman al-Zawahri or even Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) commander Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Zarqawi's legacy can be seen as responsible for young commander Shaker Wahib gaining widespread renown after he removed the black mask that covered his face and executed a group of Syrian drivers in Anbar on Aug. 25, 2013.
