Abu Azrael
Abu Azrael (Arabic: ابو عزرائيل), known as the "Angel of Death", is a commander[1] of the Kataib al-Imam Ali brigade, an Iraqi Shi'a militia group sponsored by Iran that is fighting ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) in Iraq.[2] He has become a popular hero in Iraq with a large following on social media.[3]
Personal life
Abu Azrael is described in various sources as a 40 year old former university lecturer and a one-time Taekwondo champion,[4] although other sources dispute that and suggest that this back-story may be fabricated.[5]
Reports from March 2015 claimed that Azrael is a father of five, and lives an "ordinary life" when not on the battlefield.[6]
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 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. [7][8]
See also
References
- ↑ "Kataib al-Imam Ali: Portrait of an Iraqi Shiite Militant Group Fighting ISIS" 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.
- ↑ "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"