Sofiane es-Soufi (Jihadi Militant, Tunisia)

• Full name: Sofiane es-Soufi
• Pseudonym: Abu Sofien
• Alternatives: Sofienne Assoufi
• Location: Tunisia
• Affiliation: Brigade of Uqba Bin Nafa’a [KUIN]

Sofiane es-Soufi is a jihadi from Algeria’s Oued province. He joined the Base Organization in the Islamic Maghreb [AQIM; Tanzim al-Qa’ida fi-Bilad al-Maghreb al-Islami] in 2009.¹

In the early 2010s, Soufi joined Tunisia’s Brigade of Uqba Bin Nafa’a [KUIN; Katibat Uqba Ibn Nafaâ] and became one of the group’s commanders. He was involved in the plotting and execution of several attacks against the security forces.² In March 2015, the Tunisian authorities issued a warrant for him following indications that he was plotting large-scale attacks in the country.³ Following the death of KUIN leader Khalid Chaïeb that same month, Soufi became one of the outfit’s most senior members.⁴ Some observers believe he emerged as the new top chief of the KUIN.⁵

In April 2015, Soufi was wrongfully reported to have died in an operation by security forces on Mount Salloum, in the Kasserine governorate.⁶ The authorities later denied that Soufi was killed in the encounter.⁷