Abu Sayyaf (Islamic State leader)
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(May 2015) |
Abu Sayyaf | |
|---|---|
ابو سياف | |
| Overseerof gas and oil operations of theIslamic State | |
| In office 201?[a]– 16 May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Unknown |
| Succeeded by | Unknown |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Fathi Ben Awn Ben Jildi Murad al-Tunisi فتحي بن عون بن الجلدي مراد التونسي Tunisia |
| Died | May 16, 2015 EasternSyria |
| Citizenship | Tunisia |
| Spouse | Umm Sayyaf |
| Occupation | Islamist militant |
| Nickname | Abu Sayyaf |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Islamic State |
| Years of service | 20??[b]-2015 |
| Battles/wars | Syrian civil war |
Fathi Ben Awn Ben Jildi Murad al-Tunisi(Arabic:فتحي بن عون بن الجلدي مراد التونسي), also known by thenom de guerreAbu Sayyaf(Arabic:ابو سياف), was aTunisiansenior leader of theIslamic State(IS) who was described as overseeing gas and oil operations.[1]Abu Sayyaf was killed on the night of May 15–16, 2015 while resisting capture during aUnited States ArmyDelta Forceoperation in easternSyria.[2]
Death
[edit]The operation was conducted to try to capture him and his wife on suspicion of their involvement in, or "deep knowledge" of Islamic State hostage operations.Kayla Muelleris reported to have been a "personal captive" of Abu Sayyaf.[3]No U.S. soldiers were killed or injured during the operation.[4]
It was the first direct action ground raid targeting the militant group by U.S. soldiers inside Syria. (aprevious U.S. ground operation in Syriawas a rescue mission). Items, including several terabytes of data from laptops, cellphones and other material, were recovered from the scene and exploited for intelligence purposes.[5][6][7]More information was collected in the raid than any other inUnited States special operations forceshistory.[8]Among the objects found there are archaeological finds, which prove the involvement of IS inillicit antiquitiestrade.[9]The operation was launched fromIraq,with the "full consent of Iraqi authorities."[10]
A senior administration official said that the administration had assessed it likely that Abu Sayyaf was in direct contact with Islamic State leader and self-proclaimed caliph,Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.[11]
Abu Sayyaf's wife, known by the nom de guerre "Umm Sayyaf"and said to be an IS member, was captured during the operation. A youngYazidiwoman who appeared to be held as a slave of the couple was freed.[1][10]
A senior administration official told CNN that Abu Sayyaf was a Tunisian citizen.[2]Hisham al-Hashimi,an Iraqi researcher on IS and security threats, said that al-Jabouri was "a close associate of chief IS spokesmanAbu Mohammed al-Adnani."[2]
On 19 May 2015, United States authorities identified Abu Sayyaf's real name asFathi Ben Awn Ben Jildi Murad al-Tunisi.[12]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abStatement by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on Counter-ISIL Operation in Syria,U.S. Department of Defense, May 16, 2015
- ^abcBarbara Starr, Laura Smith-Spark & Ray Sanc,Abu Sayyaf, key ISIS figure in Syria, killed in U.S. raid,CNN (May 17, 2015).
- ^Naylor, Sean (May 22, 2015)."Exclusive: American Hostage Passed on Chance to Escape".Foreign Policy.RetrievedMay 22,2015.
- ^Gal Perl Finkel,Back to the ground?,Israel Hayom,November 8, 2015.
- ^"U.S. Special Forces Kill Senior ISIS Leader in Syria, Capture His Wife",The Wall Street Journal,May 16, 2015
- ^"Hearing on U.S. Strategy in the Middle East",C-SPAN,October 28, 2015
- ^"A Raid on ISIS Yields a Trove of Intelligence",The New York Times,June 8, 2015
- ^"Coalition Efforts Against ISIL",United States Department of State,November 20, 2015
- ^"ISIL Leader's Loot Photo Gallery - Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs".eca.state.gov.
- ^ab"Statement by NSC Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan on Counter-ISIL Operation in Syria",whitehouse.gov,May 16, 2015,archivedfrom the original on 2017-01-22 – viaNational Archives,
We suspect that Umm Sayyaf is a member of ISIL, played an important role in ISIL's terrorist activities, and may have been complicit in the enslavement of the young woman rescued last night.
- ^"Slain ISIS Leader Abu Sayyaf Was a Little-Known, but High-Value Target",NBC News,May 16, 2015
- ^Starr, Barbara; Conlon, Kevin (May 19, 2015)."U.S. names ISIS commander killed in raid".CNN.RetrievedMay 19,2015.