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Islamic State / Syria / Iraq: Abu Omar al-Shishani (1986 – 10 July 2016), Chief of ISIL military operations in Syria, April 2013 - July 2016

Islamic State / Syria / Iraq: Abu Omar al-Shishani (1986 – 10 July 2016), Chief of ISIL military operations in Syria, April 2013 - July 2016

Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, known by his nom de guerre Abu Omar al-Shishani ('Abu Omar the Chechen'), was a Georgian Kist (Chechen) jihadist who served as a commander for the Islamic State in Syria, and previously as a sergeant in the Georgian Army.

In 2013, Batirashvili joined the Islamic State and rapidly became a senior commander in the organization, directing a series of battles and ultimately earning a seat on ISIL's shura council.

The US Treasury Department added Batirashvili to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists on 24 September 2014, and seven months later the US government announced a reward up to US$5 million for information leading to his capture. Batirashvili was killed in July 2016 during fighting in the Iraqi city of Shirqat, south of Mosul, Iraq.

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