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Left and right images: Abu Hamza al Omani. Images from the SITE Intelligence Group.
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An Omani jihadist was among several foreign fighters who were killed
in a recent US drone strike in the "Khorasan," according to a statement
released on jihadist Internet forums.
The statement, which was unsigned, said that Abu Hamza al Omani, also
known as Imran bin Abdullah bin Khamis al Balochi, was killed in a US
airstrike on May 5, 2012 along with several other "brothers and
supporters" who were not identified.
"The courageous knight dismounted on the night of Saturday, 5 May
2012, when the planes of the infidel enemy targeted a center in which
there were several mujahideen. The brother fell as a martyr, accompanied
by a number of his brothers and supporters...," said the statement,
which was translated by the SITE Intelligence Group.
Although the location of the "center" was not disclosed, the
statement claimed that Abu Hamza al Omani and the other fighters were
killed in "the land of Khorasan," which includes Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
On May 5, the US carried out a drone strike in the Shawal Valley in
North Waziristan. The strike targeted a compound known to be used as a
training center, killing 10 "militants" [see
LWJ report,
US drones kill 10 in North Waziristan].
Situated near the Afghan border, the Shawal Valley is a known operating
area for al Qaeda, the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, and Taliban
fighters under the command of Hafiz Gul Bahadar, the leader of the
Taliban in North Waziristan.
Al Qaeda and the Khorasan
The term "Khorasan" refers to a region that encompasses large areas
of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Iran. Jihadists
consider the Khorasan to be the area where they will inflict the first
defeat against their enemies in the Muslim version of Armageddon. The
final battle is to take place in the Levant - Israel, Syria, and
Lebanon.
Mentions of the Khorasan have begun to increase in al Qaeda's
propaganda over the past several years. After al Qaeda's defeat in Iraq,
the group began shifting its rhetoric from promoting Iraq as the
central front in its jihad and has placed the focus on the Khorasan.
Al Qaeda typically is referring to Afghanistan and Pakistan's tribal
areas when it mentions Khorasan. In February 2012, a senior al Qaeda
operative
said that al Qaeda is "still standing" despite repeated US drone strikes in the Khorasan;
the US drone program in the region primarily kills al Qaeda leaders and
fighters in Pakistan's tribal areas. Also in February 2012, al Qaeda
released images of leaders and fighters who were killed in drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas and in airstrikes in Afghanistan.
Abu Hamza and jihad
According to Abu Hamza's martyrdom statement, he "grew up in a humble
home in Barka province" (likely a reference to the coastal city of
Barka in northern Oman) and "completed his secondary education and
enrolled in the High Technical College." Abu Hamza then abandoned his
degree and moved "to the land of migration and jihad," or Afghanistan,
with others about one year ago.
The statement claimed that Abu Hamza traveled to the Khorasan
with Abu Obedia al Omani, who was killed
while fighting along the Afghan-Pakistan border on Jan. 8, 2012. Abu
Hamza and others were wounded in the "bombing by the planes of the
infidel enemy" that killed Abu Obedai.
Abu Hamza served as a trainer, according to the statement.
"He quickly mastered the art of fighting and he specialized in the
cannon and would train his brothers on it," his martyrdom statement
said. "His brothers knew him only as a person who was stationed in the
front lines of combat, committed to his front," the statement continued,
in all likelihood referring to Afghanistan. "[A]nd whenever he left one
he would go to another, seeking combat or death."
Al Qaeda is known to embed small teams of trainers with the Taliban
and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, and in the east is known to
fight on the battlefield in small units. [See
LWJ reports,
Al Qaeda's paramilitary 'Shadow Army' and
'Foreign trainers' active in southeastern Afghan province, for more information on al Qaeda's role in Afghanistan.]
The martyrdom statement indicated that a group of Omanis is still
operating along the Afghan-Pakistani border. In addition to the
statement that Abu Hamza traveled to the Khorasan with several other
Omanis, one of the pictures showed "a group of Omani brothers while
heading out for one of the operations."
Washington Time
Kabul Time
London Time
