Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi

Adnan Ismail Najm al-Bilawi Al-Dulaimi (Arabic: عدنان إسماعيل نجم البيلاوي الدليمي‎ 1971 – 4 June 2014), better known by the nom de guerre Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi (Arabic: أبو عبد الرحمن البيلاوي‎), was a top commander in the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the head of its Military Council, prior to his killing by Iraqi security forces on 4 June 2014.[2][3]

Adnan Ismail Najm Abdullah al-Dulaimi
Born1971
Al-Khalidiya, Iraq
Died4 June 2014(2014-06-04) (aged 42–43)
Near Mosul, Iraq
Allegiance Baathist Iraq (1993–2003)

Al-Qaeda (2004–2013)

  • Al-Qaeda in Iraq
    (2004–2006)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (2013–2014)
Service/branchIraqi Army (1993–2003)
Military of ISIL (8 April 2013 – 4 June 2014)
RankCaptain (1993–2003)
ISIL Military Chief
(January 2014 – 4 June 2014)[1]
Battles/wars2003 Iraq War
Iraqi insurgency

Biography

Al-Bilawi belonged to the Al-bu Bali clan of the Dulaim, the largest tribe in the Iraqi Al Anbar Governorate. His tribe formed the nucleus of the resistance/insurgency against U.S. forces in Iraq. The Dulaimis returned to the armed insurgency in 2014.

According to Ahmad Khalaf al-Dulaimi, the governor of Anbar, he taught him when they were both at the Iraqi Military Academy. Al-Bilawi graduated in 1993 and went on to become an infantry officer in the Iraqi military, achieving the rank of Captain.[1][3]

After the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq, al-Bilawi joined al-Qaida in Iraq and worked closely with its then-leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Najm al-Bilawi was detained by American forces in 2005 in Camp Bucca.[1][4][5] Al-Bilawi was one of the approximately 500 prisoners who escaped from Abu Ghraib prison in July 2013, following a raid and mass jailbreak by members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[6][7]

Following his escape, he became a member of ISIL's Military Council and had a major role in planning and leading the group's military offensive in Northern and Central Iraq.[4] Al-Bilawi was killed on 4 June 2014 in a raid by Iraqi security forces in Mosul. Following his death, a laptop belonging to al-Bilawi revealed high quality intelligence on the operations and leadership structure of ISIL.[8] Al-Bilawi had been leading the planning for a military operation against Mosul, following his death ISIL launched the attack, resulting in their total seizure of the city by 9 June 2014. The attack was named the "Invasion of Asadullah al-Bilawi Abu Abdul Rahman" in his honour.[9]

His death was acknowledged by ISIL's official spokesman, Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, in a June 2014 statement that praised his contributions to the group.[4] He was reportedly succeeded by Abu Muhannad al-Suwaydawi as leader of the ISIL Military Council.[1]

References
  1. "Military Skill and Terrorist Technique Fuel Success of ISIS". The New York Times. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  2. Chulov, Martin (15 June 2014). "How an arrest in Iraq revealed Isis's $2bn jihadist network". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  3. "Revealed: the Islamic State 'cabinet', from finance minister to suicide bomb deployer". The Telegraph. 9 July 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  4. "Kurdish Fighters Take a Key Oil City as Militants Advance on Baghdad". The New York Times. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  5. "Exclusive: Top ISIS leaders revealed". Al Arabiya. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  6. "Source: al Qaeda leader urged affiliate to 'do something'". CNN. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  7. "Al Qaeda says it freed 500 inmates in Iraq jail-break". Reuters. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  8. "Inside the leadership of Islamic State: how the new 'caliphate' is run". The Telegraph. 9 July 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  9. "The Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria: A Primer". The Soufan Group. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
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