Name Abu al-Bilawi Role Military officer | ||
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Allegiance Baathist Iraq (1993–2003) Al-Qaeda (2004–2013) Al-Qaeda in Iraq(2004-2006) Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (2013-2014) Service/branch Iraqi Army (1993–2003)Military of ISIL (8 April 2013–4 June 2014) Battles/wars 2003 Iraq WarIraqi insurgencyNorthern Iraq offensive (June 2014)Anbar campaign (2013–14) Battles and wars 2003 invasion of Iraq, Iraqi insurgency, Northern Iraq offensive, Anbar campaign | ||
Adnan Ismail Najm al-Bilawi Al-Dulaimi (Arabic: عدنان إسماعيل نجم البيلاوي الدليمي), better known by the nom de guerre Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi (Arabic: أبو عبد الرحمن البيلاوي), was a top commander in the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the head of its Military Council, prior to his killing by Iraqi security forces on 4 June 2014.
Biography
Al-Bilawi belonged to the Al-bu Bali clan of the Dulaim, the largest tribe in the Iraqi Anbar Province. His tribe formed the nucleus of the resistance/insurgency against U.S. forces in Iraq. The Dulaimis returned to the armed insurgency in 2014.
According to Ahmad Khalaf al-Dulaimi, the governor of Anbar, he taught him when they were both at the Iraqi Military Academy. Al-Bilawi graduated in 1993 and went on to become an infantry officer in the Iraqi military, achieving the rank of Captain.
After the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq, al-Bilawi joined al-Qaida in Iraq and worked closely with its then-leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Najm al-Bilawi was detained by American forces in 2005 in Camp Bucca. Al-Bilawi was one of the approximately 500 prisoners who escaped from Abu Ghraib prison in July 2013, following a raid and mass jailbreak by members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Following his escape, he became a member of ISIL’s Military Council and had a major role in planning and leading the group's military offensive in Northern and Central Iraq. Al-Bilawi was killed on 5 June 2014 in a raid by Iraqi security forces in Mosul. Following his death, a laptop belonging to al-Bilawi revealed high quality intelligence on the operations and leadership structure of ISIL. Al-Bilawi had been leading the planning for a military operation against Mosul, following his death ISIL launched the attack, resulting in their total seizure of the city by 9 June 2014. The attack was named the "Invasion of Asadullah al-Bilawi Abu Abdul Rahman" in his honour.
His death was acknowledged by ISIL's official spokesman, Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, in a June 2014 statement that praised his contributions to the group. He was reportedly succeeded by Adnan al-Sweidawi as leader of the ISIL Military Council.