Daesh’s second man on wanted list despite previous death announcement

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Some Iraqi observers have been perplexed to see Daesh (Islamic State)’s second in command on a list of wanted criminals despite declaring him dead previously.

Iraq has recently reportedly released two lists of individuals wanted for terrorism-related charges, including Islamic State’s top commander, Abi Bakr al-Baghdadi. While the first list contained the names of 60 people, Baghdadi came in a second one among 14 names.

But it was, according to al-Arabiya, noteworthy that it also contained the name of Abdul-Rahman al-Qadouli, aka Abu Alaa al-Afri, the extremist group’s second man and Baghdadi’s deputy.

Iraq’s defense ministry had declared Afri dead, but that was followed by another declaration by the group of his death in April 2016 in an air raid by the U.S.-led international coalition.

According to the network, another remarkable name was Mullah Nashwan, who, according to non-official Iraqi sources, is supposed to be jailed in Guantanamo Bay.

While the Iraqi government has not officially commented on the reported lists, observers downplayed the ambiguity, arguing that the lists are still unofficial.

Qadouli, a Turkmen, belongs to Nineveh province, and had been a former al-Qaeda member. A former physics teacher, he assumed Daesh’s command following Baghdadi’s injury.