Muhsin al-Fadhli

Muhsin al-Fadhli

Photo of Muhsin al-Fadhli, according to the U.S State Department
Born 24 April 1981[1]
Kuwait[1]
Allegiance al-Qaeda
Service/branch

al-Nusra Front

Years of service Unknown–Present
Rank Emir of Khorasan
Battles/wars

War in Afghanistan[2]
Syrian Civil War[3]
Military intervention against ISIL

Muhsin al-Fadhli (born 24 April 1981) is the alleged leader of Khorasan, an offshoot of the al-Nusra Front, a branch of al-Qaeda.[4]

According to media reports, al-Fadhli was a close confidant of Osama bin Laden, and was one of the few people to be informed of the September 11 attacks before they were launched.[4] He was born in Kuwait and uses the aliases Muhsin Fadhil ‘Ayyid al Fadhli, Muhsin Fadil Ayid Ashur al Fadhli, Abu Majid Samiyah, and Abu Samia.[1]

In 2012, the United States State Department identified al-Fadhli as the leader of al-Qaeda in Iran.[1] In mid-2013, al-Fadhli was sent to Syria on behalf of al-Qaeda emir Ayman al-Zawahiri, in order to mediate disputes between al-Qaeda's then Iraqi branch, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the al-Nusra Front. In February 2014, al-Fadhli was instrumental in influencing al-Qaeda to disassociate itself from ISIS.[5]

Reports of death

Reuters reported that al-Fadhli was believed to have been killed by a U.S. airstrike during the military intervention in Syria on 22 September 2014.[6] A jihadist posting on social media claimed that Fadhli was killed. However, the United States did not officially verified al-Fadhli's death,[7] and in November 2014, CNN reported that U.S. officials believed that al-Fadhli probably survived the strikes.[8] On 10 December 2014, the CIA revealed that Muhsin al-Fadhli had survived the airstrikes on Khorasan, along with David Drugeon, although Drugeon was badly wounded.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Rewards for Justice - al-Qaida Reward Offers". U.S. State Department. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "QI.A.184.05. Muhsin Fadhil Ayed Ashour Al-Fadhli". UN Security Council Committee. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "Who is Muhsin Al-Fadhli? Khorasan Group leader believed dead in Syria airstrike". International Business Times. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "U.S. Suspects More Direct Threats Beyond ISIS". New York Times. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Report: Former head of al Qaeda's network in Iran now operates in Syria". Long War Journal. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Khorasan leader killed by U.S. air strike in Syria last week, Al-Qaida member tweets". Haaretz. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Al Qaeda figure killed by U.S. strike in Syria: monitoring group". Reuters. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "French bomb-maker with Khorasan radicalized over 'several years'". CNN. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014. U.S. officials told CNN that Drugeon -- and Khorasan leader Muhsin al-Fadhli, a veteran Kuwaiti operative once close to Osama bin Laden -- almost certainly survived the strikes
  9. ↑ "Officials: Khorasan Group bomb maker thought dead survived". CNN. Retrieved 10 December 2014.