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Abu Tahsin al-Salihi Sniper | |
|---|---|
| Native name | أبو تحسين الصالحي |
| Birth name | Ali Jiyad Obaid al-Salihi |
| Nickname(s) | Sheikh of Snipers, Hawk Eye |
| Born | 1 July 1953 Basra, Kingdom of Iraq |
| Died | 29 September 2017 (age 64) Hawija, Iraq |
| Allegiance |  Iraq |
| Service |  Iraqi Ground Forces (1973–2003) |
| Years of service | 1973–2003; 2014–2017 |
| Unit | Popular Mobilization Forces (2014–17) |
| Battles / wars | |
Abu Tahsin al-Salihi (Arabic: أبو تحسين الصالحي; 1 July 1953 – 29 September 2017) was an Iraqi veteran sniper. A volunteer in the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, he is credited with killing over 384 ISIS members during the War in Iraq (2013–2017), receiving the nicknames "The Sheikh of Snipers" and "Hawk Eye."[1]
Before the War in Iraq (2013–2017), al-Salihi was career soldier in the Iraqi Army and fought in the Yom Kippur War, the Iran–Iraq War, the invasion of Kuwait, the Gulf War, and the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.[2] According to al-Salihi, in the Yom Kippur War he was part of an Iraqi brigade fighting Israeli forces in the Golan Heights.[1] Around May 2015 al-Salihi joined the Popular Mobilization Forces and was stationed in the Makhoul Mountains in northern Iraq, armed with a Steyr anti materiel rifle.[2][1] Al-Salihi began fighting ISIS at the Battle of Jurf Al Nasr. He was killed in action during the Battle of Hawija in September 2017. He was trained in his sniper skills by the Russian military.[3]
- ^ a b c "Anti-IS 'sheikh sniper' killed in battle for Iraq's Hawija". Gulf Times. 30 September 2017. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
- ^ a b Killalea, Debra (31 March 2016). "ISIS killer: Iraqi sniper Abu Tahseen claims to have shot 173 terrorists in video". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
- ^ Watkinson, William (25 February 2017). "63-year-old Iraqi sniper says he has killed 321 Isis fighters since 2015". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2017.