Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (Arabic: أَبُو مُصْعَبٍ ٱلزَّرْقَاوِيُّ, ’Abū Muṣ‘ab az-Zarqāwī, Father of Musab, from Zarqa; English pronunciation ; October 30, 1966^[1][2][3] – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh (أَحْمَدُ فَضِيلِ ٱلنَّزَالِ ٱلْخَلَايْلَةَ, ’Aḥmad Faḍīl an-Nazāl al-Ḫalāyla), was a Jordanian Islamist jihadist who ran a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan. He first travelled to Afghanistan in the 1980s to join the Afghan mujahideen and take part in the Soviet–Afghan War against the Soviet troops and later became known after going to Iraq following the US invasion and being responsible for a series of bombings, beheadings, and attacks during the Iraq War, reportedly "turning an insurgency against US troops" in Iraq "into a Shia–Sunni civil war".^[4] He was sometimes known by his supporters as the "Sheikh of the slaughterers".^[5]

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
أَبُو مُصْعَبٍ ٱلزَّرْقَاوِيُّ
al-Zarqawi in May 2004
1st Emir of Al-Qaeda in Iraq
In office October 17, 2004 – June 7, 2006
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	Abu Ayyub al-Masri
1st Emir of Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad
In office 1999 – October 17, 2004
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	Merger with al-Qaeda
1st Emir of the Mujahideen Shura Council (Iraq)
In office January 15, 2006 – June 7, 2006
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	Abu Ayyub al-Masri
Personal details
Born	Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh أَحْمَدُ فَضِيلِ ٱلنَّزَالِ ٱلْخَلَايْلَةَ (1966-10-30)October 30, 1966 Zarqa, Jordan
Died	June 7, 2006(2006-06-07) (aged 39) Hibhib, Iraq
Cause of death	Airstrike
Nationality	Jordanian
Children	5
Military service
Years of service	1989–2006
Rank	Commander
Battles/wars	Soviet–Afghan War United States invasion of Afghanistan Iraq War