Nabil Sahraoui

Nabil Sahraoui
Born26 September 1969
Batna, Algeria
Died20 June 2004 (aged 34)
Béjaïa Province, Algeria
Allegiance GSPC
Al-Qaeda
Years of service?–2004
RankEmir of GSPC
Battles/warsInsurgency in the Maghreb

Nabil Sahraoui (26 September 1969 – 20 June 2004), alias Mustapha Abou Ibrahim, was an Algerian Islamist militant, and the head of the radical Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et le Combat (GSPC, later renamed Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb) from August 2003 until his death the following year.

Early life[edit]

Sahraoui was born in Batna, Algeria, on 26 September 1966.[1]

GSPC[edit]

In 2003, Sahraoui replaced Hassan Hattab as the leader of the GSPC, since the latter was removed from the post due to his view that reconciliation with the government should be encouraged.[2] In October 2003, Sahraoui pledged allegiance as GSPC leader to both Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda organization and to the Taliban leader Mohammed Omar.[3]

Death[edit]

Sahraoui was killed in a shootout with the Algerian army in the Kabylie region on 20 June 2004 at age 34.[4][5][6][7] His top aides were also killed in the military sweep.[8]

Sahraoui was replaced as head of the GSPC by Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud over the objections of former leader Hassan Hattab.[2]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "Algerian Islamist GSPC leader Nabil Sahraoui profiled". Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 28 May 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  2. ^ a b Tawil, Camille (27 July 2009). "New Strategies in al-Qaeda's Battle for Algeria" (PDF). Terrorism Monitor. 7 (22). Retrieved 21 January 2013.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Steinberg, Guido (2008). "Towards a "political turn" in the fight against Jihadist terrorism" (PDF). Politique Étrangère (5): 175–187. doi:10.3917/pe.hs02.0175.
  4. ^ "Nabil Sahraoui". Global Security. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  5. ^ Algerian armed forces say rebel leader is killed Taipei Times (Reuters report), 21 June 2004
  6. ^ "Algerian Military Says Terror Leader Killed". Fox News. AP. 20 June 2004. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  7. ^ Staff writer (July 2006). "Chronology Of events: 2005". Mediterranean Politics. 11 (2): 279–308. doi:10.1080/13629390600683048. S2CID 220378402.
  8. ^ "Algerian military says top guerrilla leader Nabil Sahraoui killed in army sweep". Canadian Press. 20 June 2004. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.