ELIMINATED

  • Full name: Hatem Ben Aïd Ben Mohammed Basdouri
  • Pseudonym: Noôman
  • Alternatives: N/a
  • Location: Tunisia
  • Affiliation: Soldiers of the Caliphate in Tunisia [JaKI], fmr Brigade of Uqba Bin Nafa’a

Hatem Basdouri (°1979) was a jihadi from Tunisia’s Sidi Bouzid governorate. Basdouri and his younger brother joined the al-Qa’ida-linked Brigade of Uqba Bin Nafa’a [KUIN; Katibat Uqba Ibn Nafaâ] in 2013.1 They participated in several of the outfit’s most prolific operations, including the October 2013 attack on an army unit in Sidi Ali Ben Aoun, the May 2014 raid on the residence of the interior minister in Kasserine and the killing of fifteen Tunisian troops on Mount Chaâmbi in July 2014.2

Basdouri and his brother later switched allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [DaIISh; Dawlat al-Islamiya fi-Iraq wal ash-Sham] and joined the Soldiers of the Caliphate in Tunisia [JaKI; Jund al-Khilafa fi-Ifraqiya] on Mount Mghila. Over the years, they took part in attacks against the security forces and were involved in the abduction and killing of two shepherds.3 The Basdouri brothers were also blamed for planting landmines on the mountain.4 In 2018, the Tunisian authorities twice issued alerts for him.5

Basdouri, his brother and their associates later began to operate independently.6 On May 04, 2019, police eliminated him during a raid on his hideout near Sidi Ali Ben Aoun.7 His brother was also killed in the operation.

References[+]