Abu Azrael
Abu Azrael ابو عزرائيل | |
|---|---|
| File:Abu Azrael, Tikrit, March 2015. .jpg Abu Azrael at the Speicher military base, near the northern Iraqi city of Tikrit, on March 14, 2015. | |
| Native name | ابو عزرائيل |
| Birth name | Ayyub Faleh al-Rubaie |
| Nickname(s) | Angel of Death |
| Born | c. 1970 (age 53–54) |
| Allegiance |  Iraq |
| Service | File:Popular Mobilization Forces (Iraq) logo.jpg Popular Mobilization Force |
| Rank | Commander |
| Unit | Kataib al-Imam Ali |
| Battles / wars | Iraq War (2014–present) |
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Ayyub Faleh al-Rubaie, known by his nom de guerre Abu Azrael (Arabic: ابو عزرائيل, literally "Father of Azrael"), also known as the "Angel of Death", is a commander[1] of the Kataib al-Imam Ali, an Iraqi Shi'a militia group of the Popular Mobilization Forces that is fighting ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) in Iraq.[2] He has become a public icon of resisting ISIL in Iraq with a large following on social media.[3]
His motto and catchphrase is "illa tahin" (إلا طحين), meaning "[nothing remains] but flour", that is, he would pulverize ISIL militants until nothing remains of them but powder.
He was a former militia member in Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army.[4]
Personal life
Abu Azrael is described in various sources as a 40-year-old former university lecturer and a one-time Taekwondo champion,[5] although other sources dispute that and suggest that this back-story may be fabricated.[6]
Reports from March 2015 claimed that Azrael is a father of five, and lives an "ordinary life" when not on the battlefield.[7]
Public image
Abu Azrael has become a public icon of resistance against the Islamic State, although he has also fought against other militant groups. A Facebook page dedicated to him has over 300,000 likes as of March 2015. He has attracted attention in the middle east, but by the Spring of 2015, he had also made front-page appearances on international news websites in England, France and the United States.
He has become a popular public figure, some believe, because his methods and appearance match the brutality associated with the Islamic State (ISIS). For example, he has been shown wielding both axes and swords, in addition to modern military rifles. Moreover, some say that his being a private citizen, his bald head, and his thick black beard give him an aggressive, "dashing" appearance.[8][9]
War Crimes
On 27 August 2015 a video emerged on YouTube showing Abu Azrael burning a Sunni civilian alive and cutting into his charred body with a sword.[10] Another video later emerged showing Abu Azrael stabbing a wounded Sunni civilian and spitting on him. [11]
See also
References
- ^ "Kataib al-Imam Ali: Portrait of an Iraqi Shiite Militant Group Fighting IS" Matthew Levitt and Phillip Smyth, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 5 January 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ "The university lecturer who became an axe-wielding Iraqi soldier known as the 'Angel of Death': Fearsome warrior has become a living legend among those fighting ISIS" Tom Wyke, Mail Online, 13 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ "Iraqi fighter gains social media following in fight against ISIS" Al Arabiya News, 12 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ http://m.ndtv.com/world-news/abu-azrael-iraqs-celebrity-anti-islamic-state-fighter-747242
- ^ "Iraq’s Rambo roars as Isis loses grip on Tikrit" Hala Jaber, The Sunday Times, 15 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ "Hatchet-Wielding Lunatic Kills ISIS, Thrills Iran" Erica Wenig, The Daily Caller, 13 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ 'The Archangel of Death' fighting Islamic State "BBC News" "March 17, 2015"
- ^ {http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=079_1426548102 "Liveleak: Abu Azrael"} "LiveLeak.com"
- ^ "The Angel of Death is Coming For You, ISIL" "Al Jazeera America" "March 18, 2015"
- ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3214167/We-cut-like-shawarma-Gruesome-video-shows-Angel-Death-Iraqi-fighter-carving-flesh-charred-body-ISIS-fighter-burned-death.html
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0Pe2oxmDLk
External links
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