Abu Ghadiya (Arabic: أبو غادية) was an al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) militant and smuggler. The United States Treasury Department claimed his real name was Badran Turki Hishan al-Mazidi (Arabic: بدران تركي هيشان المزيدي) and that he was born sometime between 1977 and 1979 in Mosul. However, other reports claimed that Abu Ghadiya was born in Damascus in 1976 and his real name was Sulayman Khalid Darwish (Arabic: سليمان خالد درويش). He graduated from the Damascus University Dentistry School sometime during the 1990s, until he later went to Afghanistan and joined al-Qaeda.[1] He was primarily involved in the logistics of AQI's effort in Iraq and assisted in smuggling weapons, money and fighters across the Iraq–Syria border. The US claimed he was targeted and killed, in a cross-border raid conducted by the U.S. military and possibly the Syrian government as well on October 26, 2008.[2][3] However, an al-Qaeda in Iraq obituary released in August 2006 says that Abu Ghadiya was killed by the Saudi-Iraqi border sometime in November 2004.[4][5] The Syrian government protested the raid claiming, that it killed eight civilians.[6] Journalists who reached the attack site reported claims by local people who said that the victims of the raid were all innocent civilians.[7][8][9]
| Nickname(s) | Abu Ghadiya (Arabic: أبو غادية) Abu al-Ghadia[1] |
|---|---|
| Born | 1976 Mosul, Iraq or Damascus, Syria |
| Died | November, 2004 (aged 25–26) or October 26, 2008 (aged 29–30) Abu Kamal, Syria |
| Allegiance |  Al-Qaeda |
| Unit |  Al-Qaeda in Iraq Islamic State of Iraq |
| Battles / wars | Iraqi insurgency |
Role in Iraqi insurgency
editAccording to the United States Treasury Department, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi appointed Abu Ghadiya the lead Syrian commander for AQI's logistics in 2004. After Zarqawi's death, Abu Ghadiya took orders from his successor, Abu Ayyub Al-Masri, either directly or through a deputy. Abu Ghadiya allegedly provided false passports, safe houses, weapons and money to militants on the Syrian side of the Iraqi border before the fighters would cross into Iraq.[10]
Death
editAccording to the United States, Abu Ghadiya was killed in a 2008 raid by US special operations forces inside Syrian territory.[11] However, the U.S. never produced Abu Ghadiya's body. Contradicting American claims, an AQI obituary of the militant which was released in August 2006 stated that Abu Ghadiya had died on the Saudi–Iraqi border sometime after the US–Iraqi offensive on Fallujah in November 2004.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Abu al-Ghadia to Build on al-Zarqawi's Legacy in Iraq Jamestown Foundation.
- ^ Sale, Richard (2008-11-21). "Killing of al-Qaida Smuggler in Syria was Joint Syrian, U.S. Effort". Middle East Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-21.
- ^ Naylor, Sean Killing Abu Ghadiya Foreign Policy. September 7, 2015
- ^ Erlich, Reese; Coyote, Peter (2009-10-22). "The Murders at al-Sukariya". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- ^ a b Profile: Abu Ghadiya British Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ Syria hits out at 'terrorist' US BBC News.
- ^ Syria 'Gave Green Light For Raid' Sky News. Archived.
- ^ Syrian witness reacts to US raid BBC News.
- ^ The Murders at al-Sukariya Vanity Fair.
- ^ "Treasury Designates Members of Abu Ghadiyah's Network Facilitates flow of terrorists, weapons, and money from Syria to al Qaida in Iraq" (Press release). U.S. Department of Treasury. 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2008-11-21.
- ^ Bowley, Graham (2008-10-31). "As if on Cue, Syrians Protest U.S. Incursion on Their Soil". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 May 2016.