Haji Mutazz, also known as Abu Mulsim al-Turkmani, whose
real name is Fadel Ahmad al-Hayali was reportedly killed by a drone strike in
mid-August 2015. Mutazz was one of the Islamic State leaders Abu Bakr
Baghdadi’s number twos who was responsible for the group’s operations in Iraq.
While the U.S. officially said that it had killed the IS leader, the problem
was this was the third time that Mutazz had allegedly been killed casting a
large shadow over his demise.
The spokesman for the United States’ National Security
Council (NSC) announced
that Haji Mutazz was dead on August 18, 2015. He was killed in a car driving
outside of Mosul by a drone strike. Mutazz was one of the Islamic State’s Abu
Bakr al-Baghdadi’s top two lieutenants.
He’s believed to be the head
of the Islamic State’s military council, is a member
of the Shura Council and Provincial Council, is in charge of the group’s
operations in Iraq, and might be involved in finances as well. He would be a
major loss for the organization if he did indeed die. He brings a military
background as he was a lieutenant colonel in intelligence and Special Forces
under Saddam. He’s also one of Baghdadi’s top advisers.
The problem with the NSC’s claim is that this was the third
time Mutazz was said to have been killed. Back in December
2014 the U.S. said that it killed him in an air strike in northern Iraq.
The U.S. now admits that it got that wrong. Then in February 2015, the Iraqi
press reported that the U.S. killed him in Anbar. That automatically raises
questions about the latest story of Mutazz’s demise. Unless the Islamic State
posts a memorial about his death there is probably little way to confirm this
story. Then again, the U.S. or Iraqis could say that they killed him again,
which would prove this latest story false.
SOURCES
Barrett, Richard, “The Islamic State,” Soufan Group,
November 2014
Dyer, Geoff, “US says strike killed senior Isis leaders,”
Financial Times, 12/19/14
Schmitt, Eric, “U.S. Raid in Syria Uncovers Details on ISIS
Leadership and Finances,” New York Times, 6/8/15
Starr, Barbara and Acosta, Jim, “U.S.: ISIS No. 2 killed in
U.S. drone strike in Iraq,” CNN, 8/21/15
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