ELIMINATED
- Full name: N/a
- Pseudonym: Tahar al-Mutasim, Isa
- Alternatives: N/a
- Location: Tunisia, Algeria
- Affiliation: Brigade of Uqba Bin Nafa’a [KUIN], Base Organization in the Islamic Maghreb [AQIM], fmr Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat [GSPC], fmr Armed Islamic Group [GIA]
Tahar Jijli was a jihadi from the Algerian province of Jijel. He joined the Armed Islamic Group [GIA; Groupe Islamique Armé] in 1994.1 Jijli later linked up with the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat [GSPC; Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et le Combat]. By the time of the GSPC’s evolution into the Base Organization in the Islamic Maghreb [AQIM; Tanzim al-Qa’ida fi-Bilad al-Mahgreb al-Islami], he had steadily risen through the ranks. Jijli eventually served as a military advisor on the AQIM’s leadership council.2
In 2013, Jijli began to serve as an advisor to the leaders of the Brigade of Uqba Bin Nafa’a [KUIN; Katibat Uqba Ibn Nafaâ].3 He eventually became the chief of the KUIN’s branch in the Jendouba and Kef governorates and oversaw a series of attacks on the security forces, including the November 2014 killing of five soldiers in an attack on an army bus in Nebeur.4 Jijli later reportedly rejoined KUIN operatives in neaby the nearby governorate of Kasserine.5 Tunisian security forces eliminated Jijli, along with KUIN chief Bey al-Akrouf and another senior operative, during an operation in the Hidra area on Sep. 02, 2019.6
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