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Thaher Salim Mohammad Al-Shahiri (Arabic: ظاهر سليم محمد الشاهري)[1] known by his nom de guerre Abul-Hasan al-Muhajir (Arabic: أبو الحسن المهاجر; died 27 October 2019)[2] was the kunya used by the second official spokesman of the Islamic State from 5 December 2016 until 27 October 2019, when he was killed in a U.S. airstrike in northwest Syria. He was a Saudi national.[3] He was replaced by Abu Hamza Al-Qurashi.
Abul-Hasan al-Muhajir | |
|---|---|
أبو الحسن المهاجر | |
| Born | Thaher Salim Mohammad Al-Shahiri 1977 |
| Died | 27 October 2019 (aged 41–42) |
| Cause of death | Air strike |
| Nationality | Saudi Arabian |
| Occupation | Official spokesman of the Islamic State |
| Predecessor | Abu Muhammad al-Adnani |
| Successor | Abu Hamza Al-Qurashi |
| Movement |  Islamic State |
| Criminal charge(s) | Designated a terrorist by the United Nations Security Council and the US State Department |
Abul-Hasan was the successor of Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, who was killed while visiting the Aleppo frontlines in Syria in August 2016.[4] He was believed to have been a foreigner due to his kunya identifying him as "al-Muhajir" meaning "the emigrant". After his death, he was confirmed to be a Saudi national on 31 October.[5]
Speeches
- "And You Will Remember What I [Now] Say To You" – 5 December 2016[6]
- "So Be Patient. Indeed, The Promise Of God Is Truth" – 4 April 2017[7]
- "And When The Believers Saw The Companies" – 12 June 2017[8]
- "So From Their Guidance Take An Example" – 22 April 2018[9]
- "The Mujāhidīn’s Assault on the Tower of the Polytheists" – 26 September 2018[10]
- "He Was True To God, So [God] Was True To Him" – 18 March 2019[11]
Speculation about identity
In an article published in The Atlantic, journalist Graeme Wood postulates that Abul-Hasan al-Muhajir is Texas-born John Georgelas, also known as Yahya Abu Hassan, though he later cast doubt on his theory, and al-Bahrumi was eventually killed in October 2017.[12]
Muhajir and four others were killed on 27 October 2019 by a Central Intelligence Agency airstrike in Ayn al-Bayda,[13] near Jarablus in northwest Syria, close to the border with Turkey.[2][14] It came less than 24 hours after IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi blew himself up during a U.S. raid in Syria's Idlib Province.[15] Muhajir was described as a senior IS leader and Baghdadi's "right-hand man."[2]
On 29 October, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on social media that al-Baghdadi's "number one replacement" had been killed by American forces, adding: "Most likely would have taken the top spot - Now he is also Dead!"[16] While Trump did not specify a name, a U.S. official later confirmed that Trump was referring to al-Muhajir.[17] On 31 October, IS confirmed al-Muhajir and al-Baghdadi's deaths.[18]
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