Adel Ghandri (Jihadi Militant, Tunisia)

• Full name: Adel Ben Mohammed Ben Dhaou Ben Ghandri
• Pseudonym: N/a
• Alternatives: Adel Ghandari, Adel Kantari, Adel Cuendri
• Location: Tunisia
• Affiliation: Islamic State’s Sabratha Network [DaISN]

Adel Ghandri (°1986) is a Tunisian jihadi from Tataouine. He originally ran an alcohol smuggling ring between Ben Guerdane and Libya.¹ Following the 2011 Tunisian Revolution, Ghandri became an arms provider to militants operating in Tunisia.²

Over time, Ghandri emerged as an associate of the Libya-based Islamic State’s Sabratha Network [DaISN]. He allegedly helped prepare the 2015 attacks against tourists in Tunis and Sousse.³ Ghandri reportedly escaped the February 2016 American air strike on the DaISN’s main base.⁴

Ghandri was deeply involved in the preparations for the Mar. 07, 2016 attack on Ben Guerdane and installed arms caches in and around the town.⁵ During the attack, he helped coordinate fighters.⁶ Ghandri was mistakenly thought to have fled the country to Libya following the incident.⁷ In early May 2016, he was even wrongfully reported to have been arrested in Libya.⁸ In reality, Ghandri had remained in Tunisia.⁹

Security forces apprehended Ghandri in Mnihla, in the Ariana governorate on May 11, 2016.¹⁰ He was arrested at a clinic where he was scheduled to have cosmetic surgery to alter his appearance.¹¹ Security forces concurrently launched operations against his followers in the town, killing two jihadis and arresting 22 other militants.¹² At the time of his arrest, Ghandri was reportedly preparing to launch simultaneous large-scale attacks in the country. He and his followers had already collected a large amount of weapons and ammunition.¹³