Alleged Jordanian Zarqawi Associate Reported Killed by Russian Forces in the Caucasus
By Evan Kohlmann
Representatives of Russian security forces in the Caucasus are now claiming that they have killed the top foreign mujahideen leader active in the region--Jordanian national and alleged Zarqawi associate Abu Hafs al-Urdani--following a four-hour shoot-out in the Dagestani town of Khasavyurt.
Abu Hafs was born in 1973 in Jordan. After finishing his university studies, Abu Hafs traveled in 1995 to Chechnya to join the growing foreign mujahideen movement led by Saudi national Samir al-Suwailem (a.k.a. Ibn-ul-Khattab). After demonstrating "outstanding military capabilities and strategic thinking", Abu Hafs was appointed to be a training instructor for arriving recruits. When al-Suwailem was killed in March 2002, Abu Hafs advanced forward to become deputy commander under Suwailem's successor in Chechnya, Saudi national Abu al-Walid al-Ghamdi. Later, following the subsequent deaths of al-Ghamdi and fellow Saudi national Abu Omar al-Saif, Abu Hafs became the top commander of the foreign mujahideen in the Caucasus region. The U.S. State Department has publicly named Abu Hafs al-Urdani as a central coordinator of the transnational Al-Qaida network managed by the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Abu Hafs al-Urdani was recently interviewed by a Turkish newspaper, a copy of which was translated and republished by Jihad Unspun and the Kavkaz Center. Although he denied being a member of Al-Qaida, he insisted, "I have gone out for Jihad in the Way of Allah... Would it be fair to those who protect honor, religion and the oppressed Muslim brothers to name members of Al-Qaeda? ....My opinion is that they are group of Muslim Mujahideen, similarly to other groups. They help Islam and the oppressed Muslim and Usama Bin Laden is one of the leaders of Jihad. I ask Allah to help everybody who shows diligence on His Way."
The foreign mujahideen active in Chechnya have yet to formally acknowledge the death of Abu Hafs al-Urdani, but they have not issued any official denials either.
See also:
(January 2006) - Jordanian Zarqawi Ally Resurfaces in Chechnya
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