Abdul Sattar Abu Risha
Abdul Sattar Abu Risha | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1972 |
| Died | 13 September 2007(aged 34–35) |
| Cause of death | Assassination |
| Other names | Abdul Sattar Buzaigh Hisham al-Rishawi, Sheikh Sittar |
| Occupation | Sunni tribal chief inAl-Anbar |
| Known for | "Anbar Awakening"– opposingal-Qaeda in Iraq |
| Relatives | Ahmed Abu Risha(brother) |
Abdul Sattar Abu Risha(Arabic:عبد الستار أبو ريشة) –Sheikh Abdul Sattar Eftikhan al-Rishawiالشيخ عبد الستار افتيخان الريشاوي – (born 1972 – 13 September 2007) was a high-profileIraqitribalsheikhof theAbu-Rishatribe. He was the leader ofan allianceofIraqiSunniArabtribes that opposedal-Qaeda in Iraq.
Abu Risha was assassinated shortly after becoming an ally of the Iraqi government through forming an organisation of fellow tribal chiefs called theSahawat al-Anbar(Anbar Awakening), based inAnbar's provincial capital ofRamadi,some 70 miles (110 km) west ofBaghdad.
Life[edit]
Abu Risha was the grandson of a tribal leader in theIraqi revolt against the Britishoccupying forces in 1920 and the son of a commander in theAnglo-Iraqi Warin 1941. Little is known about Abu Risha's life prior to theIraq War,albeit he reportedly ran a construction and import-export business with offices inAmmaninJordanandDubaiin theUAE.According toThe Washington Post,"he was called awarlordand a highway bandit, an oil smuggler and an opportunist ".[1]Many of the Awakening leaders are believed to have at least tacitly supported theIraqi insurgency,though Sattar claimed he never did.
During the early part of the insurgency following the2003 invasion of Iraq,as al-Qaeda's fighters tightened their grip on Ramadi, it is reported that they became increasingly repressive and challenged the tribal leaders' power. Soon they were kidnapping and beheading tribal Sunnis as part of a campaign of extortion and intimidation. Abdul Sattar's own father and two brothers were killed by al-Qaeda. During the late summer of 2006, he began enlisting his fellow sheikhs inSahawat al-Anbarand encouraging members of his tribe to join the local police force. TheU.S.forces under Lt. Col. Tony Deane encouraged Sattar and provided security for the initial meetings of the Al Anbar tribal meetings at Sattar's compound in western Ramadi; these early meetings were the beginning of what grew into theAnbar Salvation Councilby the fall of 2006; in March 2007 the Council counted 41 clans from Anbar province.[2]The development led to a sharp reduction of violence in the province and forced many al-Qaeda fighters to flee to other regions of Iraq.
Assassination[edit]
Abu Risha was assassinated on 13 September 2007, along with three of his guards by animprovised explosive deviceplanted on the road near the gate of his house in Ramadi.[1]TheIslamic State of Iraqtook responsibility for the attack and several dozen people were arrested in connection with the killing, including the head of his own security detail.[3]
The sheikh's funeral attracted about 1,500 mourners, including Iraq's national security adviserMowaffak al-Rubaie,Interior Minister JawadJawad Bulani,Defense Minister GeneralQadir Obeidiand Lieutenant-GeneralRaymond Odierno,second in command of U.S. forces in Iraq, and sparked vows of revenge.[4]After Abu Risha's death, his brother, SheikAhmed Abu Risha,was selected to take over leadership of the Anbar Salvation Council by the tribal leaders of the province.[5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abBomb Kills a Key Sunni Ally of U.S.,The Washington Post,September 14, 2007
- ^Sunni Sheiks Join Fight Vs. Insurgency,The Washington Post,March 25, 2007
- ^25 Arrests in Slaying of Prominent Sunni,Associated Press,September 21, 2007ArchivedApril 19, 2020, at theWayback Machine
- ^Iraqis vow to fight al Qaeda after sheikh death,Reuters,Sep 14, 2007
- ^Sunni Sheik Who Backed U.S. in Iraq Is Killed,The New York Times,September 14, 2007
External links[edit]
- The man who might save Iraq,Asia Times,May 5, 2007
- Obituary: Abdul Sattar Abu Risha,BBC News,September 14, 2007