Abul-Hasan al-Muhajir

Thaher Salim Mohammad al-Shahiri, known by his nom de guerre Abul-Hasan al-Muhajir was the kunya used by the second official spokesman of the Islamic State from 5 December 2016 until 27 October 2019, when he was killed in a U.S. airstrike in northwest Syria. He was a Saudi national. He was replaced by Abu Hamza Al-Qurashi.

History

Abul-Hasan was the successor of Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, who was killed while visiting the Aleppo frontlines in Syria in August 2016. He was believed to have been a foreigner due to his kunya identifying him as "al-Muhajir" meaning "the emigrant". After his death, he was confirmed to be a Saudi national on 31 October.

Speeches

"And You Will Remember What I Say To You" – 5 December 2016
"So Be Patient. Indeed, The Promise Of God Is Truth" – 4 April 2017
"And When The Believers Saw The Companies" – 12 June 2017
"So From Their Guidance Take An Example" – 22 April 2018
"The Mujāhidīn’s Assault on the Tower of the Polytheists" – 26 September 2018
"He Was True To God, So Was True To Him" – 18 March 2019

Speculation about identity

In an article published in The Atlantic, journalist Graeme Wood postulates that Abul-Hasan al-Muhajir is Texas-born John Georgelas, also known as Yahya Abu Hassan, though he later cast doubt on his theory, and al-Bahrumi was eventually killed in October 2017.

Death

Muhajir and four others were killed on 27 October 2019 by a Central Intelligence Agency airstrike in Ayn al-Bayda, near Jarablus in northwest Syria, close to the border with Turkey. It came less than 24 hours after IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi blew himself up during a U.S. raid in Syria's Idlib Province. Muhajir was described as a senior IS leader and Baghdadi's "right-hand man."
On 29 October, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on social media that al-Baghdadi's "number one replacement" had been killed by American forces, adding: "Most likely would have taken the top spot - Now he is also Dead!" While Trump did not specify a name, a U.S. official later confirmed that Trump was referring to al-Muhajir. On 31 October, IS confirmed al-Muhajir and al-Baghdadi's deaths.