El-Hassen Ould Khalil Jouleibib (1981–2013) was a Mauritanian jihadist and lieutenant of Mokhtar Belmokhtar. Jouleibib fought in the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat and later Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. He was born in 1981 in Tidjikdja and died on 13 November 2013 in Tessalit Cercle, Mali.
Jouleibib | |
|---|---|
 Jouleibib, as seen in an undated photograph | |
| Born | 1981 |
| Died | 13 November 2013 |
| Cause of death | Gunshot |
| Organizations |
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| Known for | |
Life
editEarly life and education
editKhalill was born in Tidjikdja, Mauritania, into a family of literate traders. He received technological training in Nouakchott and theological training in a Koranic school in the Tidjikdja area. In the early 2000s, he broke away from his belief in Sufism and converted to jihadist Salafism.[1]
He first tried to reach Iraq to fight American troops, but he met Mokhtar Belmokhtar with whom he became friends. He joined the Katiba de les Enturbannés and in 2005 took part in the Lemgheity attack against the Mauritanian Army.[1]
Canadian diplomat Robert Fowler, who was held hostage by jihadists from December 2008 to April 2009, frequently met Jouleibib to whom he gave periodic English lessons. He said about him: “He was a serious student, blessed with a remarkable memory and a good ear. [...] Even though he was usually smiling and very relaxed, I could see in Jouleybib's eyes that he was still our enemy. Technically, he was the most sophisticated of our kidnappers (keeping up to date with reactions to our kidnapping in Canada), and along with Jack and Hassan, among the most dangerous”.[1][2]
On May 24, 2013, Jouleibib claimed responsibility for the attacks in Agadez and Arlit.[3]
Death
editOn the night of November 13 to 14, 2013, Jouleibib was spotted by the French military in Operation Barkhane of the Mali War because of Jouleibib's phone. Jouleibib was killed alongside two other jihadists in their truck in rural Tessalit Cercle.[4][5][6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b c Lemine Ould Mohammed Salem, Le Ben Laden du Sahara, sur les traces du jihadiste Mokhtar Belmokhtar, p. 111-112
- ^ Robert Fowler, Ma saison en enfer: 130 jours de captivité aux mains d'Al-Qaïda
- ^ "Niger : Belmokhtar aurait "supervisé lui-même" les attaques" [Niger: Belmokhtar allegedly "supervised" the attacks himself]. Le Monde (www.lemonde.fr) (in French). SOCIÉTE ÉDITRICE DU MONDE. Le Monde avec AFP. May 24, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ^ "Serval : point de situation du 14 novembre 2013" [Serval: situation update of November 14, 2013]. www.defense.gouv.fr (in French). Ministère de la Défense. November 14, 2013. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ^ "Mali: l'armée française a tué le bras droit du chef jihadiste Belmokhtar" [Mali: French army kills right-hand man of jihadist leader Belmokhtar]. RFI (in French). RFI. November 20, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ^ Diarra, Adama (November 21, 2013). "French troops kill deputy to veteran Islamist Belmokhtar". www.reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ Serge Daniel, Les mafias du Mali ; Trafics et terrorisme au Sahel, p. 210.
Bibliography
edit- Serge Daniel (2014). Les mafias du Mali: trafics et terrorisme au Sahel. Paris: Descartes & Cie. ISBN 978-2-84446271-8.
- Robert Fowler (2013). Ma saison en enfer: 130 jours de captivité aux mains d'Al-Qaïda. Québec Amérique.
- Salem, Lemine Ould Mohamed (2014). Le Ben Laden du Sahara, sur les traces du jihadiste Mokhtar Belmokhtar. Éditions de La Martinière.