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{{Short description|Tajikistani military personnel (1975–2017)}}
{{Short description|Tajikistani military personnel (1975–2017)}}
{{family name hatnote|Salimovich|Khalimov|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{family name hatnote|Salimovich|Khalimov|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
| image =
| image =
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| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial_label =
| nickname =
| nickname =
| birth_name = Gulmurod Salimovich Khalimov
| birth_name = Gulmurod Salimovich Khalimov ({{lang|ru|Гулмурод Салимович Халимов}})
| allegiance = {{flag|Tajikistan}} (1993–2015)<br />{{flag|Islamic State}} (2015–17)
| allegiance = {{flag|Tajikistan}} (1993–2015)<br />{{flag|Islamic State}} (2015–17)
| branch = [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Tajikistan)]]
| branch = [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Tajikistan)]]
| serviceyears =
| serviceyears =
| rank = [[Lieutenant colonel]] (Tajikistan)<br />War minister (ISIL)
| rank = [[Lieutenant colonel]] (Tajikistan)<br />War minister (ISIL)
| commands = [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Tajikistan)#OMON|OMON]] (Tajikistan)<ref name="Police Commander">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/30/world/asia/police-commander-tajikistan-isis-russia-syria-tajik.html |title=Police Commander From Tajikistan Appears in ISIS Video |author-link=Andrew Roth |first=Andrew |last=Roth |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=30 May 2015 |access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref><br />[[Military activity of ISIL|Military of ISIL]]
| commands = [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Tajikistan)#OMON|OMON]] (Tajikistan)<ref name="Police Commander">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/30/world/asia/police-commander-tajikistan-isis-russia-syria-tajik.html |title=Police Commander From Tajikistan Appears in ISIS Video |author-link=Andrew Roth |first=Andrew |last=Roth |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=30 May 2015 |access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref><br />[[Military activity of ISIL|Military of the Islamic State]]
| battles = [[Tajikistan insurgency]]<br />[[Syrian Civil War]]
| battles = [[Tajikistan insurgency]]<br />[[Syrian civil war]]
| awards =
| awards =
}}
}}
'''Gulmurod Salimovich Khalimov''' ({{lang-tg|Гулмурод Салимович Ҳалимов}}) was a [[Tajikistan|Tajik]] and [[Islamist]] military commander. He was a [[lieutenant-colonel]] and commander of the police special forces of the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Tajikistan)|Interior Ministry]] of Tajikistan until 2015, whe then defected to the [[Islamic State]].<ref name="joins">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32917311 |title=Tajikistan special forces chief Gulmurod Khalimov 'joins IS' |work=[[BBC News]] |date=28 May 2015 |access-date=9 September 2017 |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/05/28/the-u-s-trained-commander-of-tajikistans-special-forces-has-joined-the-islamic-state/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907082609/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/05/28/the-u-s-trained-commander-of-tajikistans-special-forces-has-joined-the-islamic-state/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 September 2015 |title=The U.S.-trained commander of Tajikistan's special forces has joined the Islamic State |access-date=30 July 2016 |date=28 May 2015 |last=Tharoor |first=Ishaan |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] }}</ref> In September 2016, he was reported to have been appointed as the minister of war of IS in place of [[Abu Omar al-Shishani]]; his appointment had not been announced by IS for fears that he might be targeted in airstrikes by the [[anti-ISIL coalition|anti-IS coalition]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/isis-us-trained-tajik-special-150308829.html |title=Isis: US-trained Tajik special forces chief Gulmurod Khalimov becomes Isis 'war minister' |author=International Business Times |work=[[Yahoo! News]] |date=6 September 2016 |access-date=18 January 2017 |publisher=[[Yahoo!]]|author-link=International Business Times }}</ref> On 8 September 2017, Khalimov was allegedly killed during a Russian airstrike near [[Deir ez-Zor]], [[Syria]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia/russia-says-its-air-strike-kills-several-top-islamic-state-commanders-in-syria-idUSKCN1BJ0KJ|title = Russia says its air strike kills several top Islamic State commanders in Syria|newspaper = Reuters|date = 8 September 2017}}</ref> However, the Tajik government, [[United Nations]], and the [[United States]] believed that he was still alive by 2019, though his exact fate remained disputed. By 2020, Islamist militants claimed that he had died at some point; this source was considered unreliable by the Tajik government.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|pp=32–33}} Regardless, the United States had removed Khalimov from their [[Rewards for Justice Program]] by 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rewards for Justice - Wanted for Terrorism |url=https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/most-wanted/all-regions.html |access-date=27 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627185425/https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/most-wanted/all-regions.html |archive-date=27 June 2021}}</ref>
'''Gulmurod Salimovich Khalimov''' ({{langx|tg|Гулмурод Салимович Ҳалимов}}, {{langx|ru|Гулмурод Салимович Халимов}}) (14 May 1975 – 8 September 2017) was a [[Tajikistan|Tajik]] and [[Islamist]] military commander. He was a [[lieutenant-colonel]] and commander of the police special forces of the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Tajikistan)|Interior Ministry]] of Tajikistan until 2015, when he defected to the [[Islamic State]].<ref name="joins">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32917311 |title=Tajikistan special forces chief Gulmurod Khalimov 'joins IS' |work=[[BBC News]] |date=28 May 2015 |access-date=9 September 2017 |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/05/28/the-u-s-trained-commander-of-tajikistans-special-forces-has-joined-the-islamic-state/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907082609/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/05/28/the-u-s-trained-commander-of-tajikistans-special-forces-has-joined-the-islamic-state/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 September 2015 |title=The U.S.-trained commander of Tajikistan's special forces has joined the Islamic State |access-date=30 July 2016 |date=28 May 2015 |last=Tharoor |first=Ishaan |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] }}</ref> In September 2016, he was reported to have been appointed as the minister of war of IS in place of [[Abu Omar al-Shishani]]; his appointment had not been announced by IS for fears that he might be targeted in airstrikes by the [[anti-ISIL coalition|anti-IS coalition]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/isis-us-trained-tajik-special-150308829.html |title=Isis: US-trained Tajik special forces chief Gulmurod Khalimov becomes Isis 'war minister' |author=International Business Times |work=[[Yahoo! News]] |date=6 September 2016 |access-date=18 January 2017 |publisher=[[Yahoo!]]|author-link=International Business Times }}</ref> On 8 September 2017, Khalimov was allegedly killed during a Russian airstrike near [[Deir ez-Zor]], [[Syria]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia/russia-says-its-air-strike-kills-several-top-islamic-state-commanders-in-syria-idUSKCN1BJ0KJ|title = Russia says its air strike kills several top Islamic State commanders in Syria|newspaper = Reuters|date = 8 September 2017}}</ref> However, the Tajik government, [[United Nations]], and the [[United States]] believed that he was still alive by 2019, though his exact fate remained disputed. By 2020, Islamist militants claimed he had died at some point; this source was considered unreliable by the Tajik government.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|pp=32–33}} Regardless, the United States had removed Khalimov from their [[Rewards for Justice Program]] by 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rewards for Justice - Wanted for Terrorism |url=https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/most-wanted/all-regions.html |access-date=27 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627185425/https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/most-wanted/all-regions.html |archive-date=27 June 2021}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
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=== Service with the Tajik security forces ===
=== Service with the Tajik security forces ===
Khalimov eventually joined the Tajik security forces, was trained as [[sniper]]{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=33}}<ref name="minister of war">{{cite news |url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/minister-war-killed-syria-air-attack-says-russia-1141444390 |title=IS 'minister of war' killed in Syria air attack, claims Russia |work=[[Middle East Eye]] |date=8 September 2017 |access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref> and rose to lead the Tajik [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Tajikistan)#OMON|OMON]] special forces;<ref name="Police Commander" /> in this position, he was considered to be "one of the best trained officers in the country". He helped the government to repress Islamist extremists during the [[Tajikistan insurgency]].<ref name="joins" /> From 2003 to 2014, Khalimov participated in five counterterrorism training courses in the [[United States]] and in [[Tajikistan]], through the [[United States Department of State]]'s Diplomatic Security/Anti-Terrorism Assistance program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/29/politics/isis-man-trained-in-us/index.html |title=Man who joined ISIS trained in the US |first1=Dugald |last1=McConnell |first2=Brian |last2=Todd |work=[[CNN]] |access-date=30 July 2016 |date=30 May 2015}}</ref> There exist no sources that indicate that Khalimov ever received a religious training or engaged in preaching.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=33}}
Khalimov eventually joined the Tajik security forces and was trained as [[sniper]]{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=33}}<ref name="minister of war">{{cite news |url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/minister-war-killed-syria-air-attack-says-russia-1141444390 |title=IS 'minister of war' killed in Syria air attack, claims Russia |work=[[Middle East Eye]] |date=8 September 2017 |access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-top-cop-goes-missing-mysteriously-islamic-state-rumors/27012191.html | title=Top Tajik Cop Disappears, Sparking Alarming Reports | publisher=Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty | first=Farangis | last=Najibullah | date=12 May 2015 | accessdate=4 January 2023 }}</ref> and rose to lead the Tajik [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Tajikistan)#OMON|OMON]] special forces;<ref name="Police Commander" /> in this position, he was considered to be "one of the best-trained officers in the country". He helped the government to repress Islamist extremists during the [[Tajikistan insurgency]].<ref name="joins" /><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/02/isis-defection-gulmurod-khalimov-tajikistan | title=Tajik officer's defection to Isis highlights US support for repressive regime | website=[[TheGuardian.com]] | date=2 June 2015 }}</ref> From 2003 to 2014, Khalimov participated in five counterterrorism training courses in the [[United States]] and in [[Tajikistan]], through the [[United States Department of State]]'s Diplomatic Security/Anti-Terrorism Assistance program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/29/politics/isis-man-trained-in-us/index.html |title=Man who joined ISIS trained in the US |first1=Dugald |last1=McConnell |first2=Brian |last2=Todd |work=[[CNN]] |access-date=30 July 2016 |date=30 May 2015}}</ref> There exist no sources that indicate that Khalimov ever received religious training or engaged in preaching.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=33}}

=== Disappearance ===
Khalimov disappeared in late April 2015<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-top-cop-goes-missing-mysteriously-islamic-state-rumors/27012191.html | title=Top Tajik Cop Disappears, Sparking Alarming Reports | newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | date=12 May 2015 | last1=Najibullah | first1=Farangis | last2=Ahmadi | first2=Mumin }}</ref> He was notably absent from a 6 May meeting of Interior Minister [[Ramazon Rahimzoda]] with leading police officers at OMON's headquarters in [[Dushanbe]].<ref>{{cite news|title=The US trained commander of Tajikistans special forces has joined the Islamic State|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/05/28/the-u-s-trained-commander-of-tajikistans-special-forces-has-joined-the-islamic-state/|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=28 May 2015}} (subscription required)</ref> According to his brother Nazir, both his phone and social media accounts had been deactivated.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-top-cop-goes-missing-mysteriously-islamic-state-rumors/27012191.html | title=Top Tajik Cop Disappears, Sparking Alarming Reports | newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | date=12 May 2015 | last1=Najibullah | first1=Farangis | last2=Ahmadi | first2=Mumin }}</ref> According to family members, Khalimov left home on 13 April after giving his wife around $200 in spending money, less than the amount he frequently gave her before departing on business trips. Meanwhile, Tajik media quoted unnamed sources in law enforcement as saying Khalimov left Dushanbe on May 1 along with 10 other men, later being seen at [[Moscow]]'s [[Sheremetyevo International Airport]], Asia-Plus news agency reported.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-top-cop-goes-missing-mysteriously-islamic-state-rumors/27012191.html | title=Top Tajik Cop Disappears, Sparking Alarming Reports | newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | date=12 May 2015 | last1=Najibullah | first1=Farangis | last2=Ahmadi | first2=Mumin }}</ref>


==Islamic State==
==Islamic State==
Khalimov disappeared in late April 2015 and resurfaced on 28 May 2015 in an IS video.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-tajikistan-idUSKBN0OD1AP20150528 |title=Commander of elite Tajik police force defects to Islamic State |date=28 May 2015 |access-date=30 July 2016 |work=[[Reuters]] |first=Dmitry |last=Solovyov |location=Almaty }}</ref> Although hundreds of Tajiks had already joined IS by this point, Khalimov's defection was an "unprecedented case" due to his being a successful, high profile officer and part of the establishment<ref name="joins" /> rather than the poor, from whom Islamist groups mostly recruit. According to regional expert Deirdre Tynan, Khalimov's defection was nevertheless symptomatic, as "there is an element of doubt in people within the [Tajik] civil and security services about what is the trajectory of their countries" and increasing support for radical religious ideologies.<ref name="Police Commander" /> Khalimov was the most prominent of the more than 2,000 Tajiks reported to have joined IS.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tajikistan's crackdown on observant Muslims intensifies |url=https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21729451-beards-veils-madrassas-and-arabic-sounding-names-are-all-banned-tajikistans-crackdown-observant |access-date=24 September 2017 |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |date=21 September 2017 |publisher=[[The Economist Newspaper Limited]]}}</ref>
Khalimov resurfaced on 28 May 2015 in an IS video.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-tajikistan-idUSKBN0OD1AP20150528 |title=Commander of elite Tajik police force defects to Islamic State |date=28 May 2015 |access-date=30 July 2016 |work=[[Reuters]] |first=Dmitry |last=Solovyov |location=Almaty }}</ref> Although hundreds of Tajiks had already joined IS by this point, Khalimov's defection was an "unprecedented case" due to his being a successful, high profile officer and part of the establishment<ref name="joins" /> rather than the poor, from whom Islamist groups mostly recruit. According to regional expert Deirdre Tynan, Khalimov's defection was nevertheless symptomatic, as "there is an element of doubt in people within the [Tajik] civil and security services about what is the trajectory of their countries" and increasing support for radical religious ideologies.<ref name="Police Commander" /> Khalimov was the most prominent of the more than 2,000 Tajiks reported to have joined IS.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tajikistan's crackdown on observant Muslims intensifies |url=https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21729451-beards-veils-madrassas-and-arabic-sounding-names-are-all-banned-tajikistans-crackdown-observant |access-date=24 September 2017 |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |date=21 September 2017 |publisher=[[The Economist Newspaper Limited]]}}</ref>


After joining IS, Khalimov travelled to [[Syria]], where he was war minister, and became an important recruiter for the group.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}}<ref name="minister of war" /> Tajik security authorities claimed that Khalimov personally led a unit of 200 militants including 50 Europeans in Syria, and was involved in planning terrorist attacks in Central Asia as well as Europe.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}} In July 2017, four of his relatives in Tajikistan were killed and three arrested by security forces; according to the government, they were IS supporters.<ref name="minister of war" />
After joining IS, Khalimov travelled to [[Syria]], where he was war minister and became an important recruiter for the group.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}}<ref name="minister of war" /> Tajik security authorities claimed that Khalimov personally led a unit of 200 militants, including 50 Europeans in Syria, and was involved in planning terrorist attacks in Central Asia as well as Europe.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}} In July 2017, four of his relatives in Tajikistan were killed and three arrested by security forces; according to the government, they were IS supporters.<ref name="minister of war" />


In a 10-minute IS propaganda video clip posted in social networks, he vowed to "bring jihad to Russia", while also lambasting Tajik guest workers in Russia, referring to them as "slaves of infidels".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Solovyov|first=Dmitry|title=The US-trained commander of Tajikistan's elite police force just defected to ISIS|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-trained-commander-of-tajikistans-elite-police-force-just-defected-to-isis-2015-5|access-date=2021-10-15|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}</ref>
In a 10-minute IS propaganda video clip posted in social networks, he vowed to "bring jihad to Russia", while also lambasting Tajik guest workers in Russia, referring to them as "slaves of infidels".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Solovyov|first=Dmitry|title=The US-trained commander of Tajikistan's elite police force just defected to ISIS|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-trained-commander-of-tajikistans-elite-police-force-just-defected-to-isis-2015-5|access-date=2024-04-02|website=Business Insider|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529155640/https://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-trained-commander-of-tajikistans-elite-police-force-just-defected-to-isis-2015-5|archive-date=2023-05-29}}</ref>


===Tajik reaction===
===Tajik reaction===
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===US and UN sanctions===
===US and UN sanctions===
On 29 September 2015 he was made subject to sanctions by the [[United States Department of State]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/09/247433.htm |title=Designations of Foreign Terrorist Fighters |access-date=30 July 2016 |date=29 September 2015 |work=[[U.S. Department of State]] |publisher=[[Bureau of Public Affairs]] }}</ref> He was also made subject to sanctions by the [[United Nations Security Council]] Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee on 29 February 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list/summaries/individual/gulmurod-khalimov |title=Gulmurod Khalimov |work=[[United Nations Security Council]] |access-date=30 July 2016 |date=29 February 2016 |publisher=[[United Nations]] and the Security Council Affairs Division}}</ref>
On 29 September 2015, he was made subject to sanctions by the [[United States Department of State]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/09/247433.htm |title=Designations of Foreign Terrorist Fighters |access-date=30 July 2016 |date=29 September 2015 |work=[[U.S. Department of State]] |publisher=[[Bureau of Public Affairs]] }}</ref> He was also made subject to sanctions by the [[United Nations Security Council]] Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee on 29 February 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list/summaries/individual/gulmurod-khalimov |title=Gulmurod Khalimov |work=[[United Nations Security Council]] |access-date=30 July 2016 |date=29 February 2016 |publisher=[[United Nations]] and the Security Council Affairs Division}}</ref>


In August 2016, the United States Department of State issued a $3 million USD bounty on Khalimov under its [[Rewards for Justice]] program.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/31/state-dept-offers-3m-reward-for-gulmurod-khalimov-/ |title=State Dept. offers $3M reward for U.S.-trained Tajik officer who went rogue for ISIS |newspaper=[[Washington Times]] |access-date=31 August 2016 |date=31 August 2016 |last=Ernst |first=Douglas}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gulmurod Khalimov |url=https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/gulmurod_khalimov.html |work=[[Rewards for Justice]] |access-date=27 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421113857/https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/gulmurod_khalimov.html |archive-date=21 April 2021}}</ref>
In August 2016, the United States Department of State issued a $3 million USD bounty on Khalimov under its [[Rewards for Justice]] program.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/31/state-dept-offers-3m-reward-for-gulmurod-khalimov-/ |title=State Dept. offers $3M reward for U.S.-trained Tajik officer who went rogue for ISIS |newspaper=[[Washington Times]] |access-date=31 August 2016 |date=31 August 2016 |last=Ernst |first=Douglas}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gulmurod Khalimov |url=https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/gulmurod_khalimov.html |work=[[Rewards for Justice]] |access-date=27 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421113857/https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/gulmurod_khalimov.html |archive-date=21 April 2021}}</ref>


===Reported death and disputes about his fate===
===Reported death and disputes about his fate===
On 8 September 2017, Khalimov was allegedly killed during a Russian airstrike near [[Deir ez-Zor]], along with [[Abu Muhammad al-Shimali]], with unconfirmed reports of the attack using Russia's precision [[BETAB-500]] bunker-busting bombs.<ref name="monitor" /> The [[United Nations]]{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}} and the Tajik government continued to believe that Khalimov was still alive, albeit not necessarily as member of IS.<ref name="Sukhankin">{{cite news |url=https://jamestown.org/program/the-phenomenon-of-gulmurod-khalimov-is-islamic-states-war-minister-really-dead/ |title=The Phenomenon of Gulmurod Khalimov: Is Islamic State's War Minister Really Dead? |author=Sergey Sukhankin |work=Jamestown Foundation |date=4 November 2020 |access-date=24 November 2020 }}</ref> In 2019, Tajik authorities stated that Khalimov had relocated to [[Badakhshan Province]] in northern Afghanistan.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}} In contrast, the United Nations claimed that he was still in Syria, leading a unit of 600 Tajik militants in [[Idlib Governorate]] after losing his position as IS war minister.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}}<ref name="UN Security Council">{{cite web | url=https://undocs.org/S/2019/570| title=S/2019/570 - e - S/2019/570}}</ref><ref name="monitor">{{cite web |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/09/russia-offensive-syria-islamic-state-moscow-washington.html |title=Don't let Islamic State slip the noose in Syria |work=[[Al-Monitor]] |first=Maxim A. |last=Suchkov |publisher=Jamal Daniel News |date=11 September 2017 |access-date=23 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912033518/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/09/russia-offensive-syria-islamic-state-moscow-washington.html |archive-date=12 September 2017}}</ref>
On 8 September 2017, Khalimov was allegedly killed during a Russian airstrike near [[Deir ez-Zor]], along with [[Abu Muhammad al-Shimali]], with unconfirmed reports of the attack using Russia's precision [[BETAB-500]] bunker-busting bombs.<ref name="monitor" /> The [[United Nations]]{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}} and the Tajik government continued to believe that Khalimov was still alive, albeit not necessarily as a member of IS.<ref name="Sukhankin">{{cite news |url=https://jamestown.org/program/the-phenomenon-of-gulmurod-khalimov-is-islamic-states-war-minister-really-dead/ |title=The Phenomenon of Gulmurod Khalimov: Is Islamic State's War Minister Really Dead? |author=Sergey Sukhankin |work=Jamestown Foundation |date=4 November 2020 |access-date=24 November 2020 }}</ref> In 2019, Tajik authorities stated that Khalimov had relocated to [[Badakhshan Province]] in northern Afghanistan.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}} In contrast, the United Nations claimed that he was still in Syria, leading a unit of 600 Tajik militants in [[Idlib Governorate]] after losing his position as IS war minister.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=32}}<ref name="UN Security Council">{{cite web | url=https://undocs.org/S/2019/570| title=S/2019/570 - e - S/2019/570}}</ref><ref name="monitor">{{cite web |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/09/russia-offensive-syria-islamic-state-moscow-washington.html |title=Don't let Islamic State slip the noose in Syria |work=[[Al-Monitor]] |first=Maxim A. |last=Suchkov |publisher=Jamal Daniel News |date=11 September 2017 |access-date=23 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912033518/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/09/russia-offensive-syria-islamic-state-moscow-washington.html |archive-date=12 September 2017}}</ref>


On 3 August 2020, Tajikistan's Minister of Internal Affairs [[Ramazon Rahimov]] declared that Tajik IS fighters had revealed that Khalimov as well as his family had been killed in an airstrike in Syria, although he later qualified his statement, arguing that these sources were not necessarily trustworthy.<ref name="Sukhankin" />{{sfn|Soliev|2021|pp=32–33}} Without further proof of his demise, the Tajik government continued to regard him as alive.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=33}}
On 3 August 2020, Tajikistan's Minister of Internal Affairs [[Ramazon Rahimov]] declared that Tajik IS fighters had revealed that Khalimov as well as his family had been killed in an airstrike in Syria, although he later qualified his statement, arguing that these sources were not necessarily trustworthy.<ref name="Sukhankin" />{{sfn|Soliev|2021|pp=32–33}} Without further proof of his demise, the Tajik government continued to regard him as alive.{{sfn|Soliev|2021|p=33}}
Line 54: Line 58:
===Works cited===
===Works cited===
{{refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite journal |url = https://ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CTC-SENTINEL-012021.pdf |title = The April 2020 Islamic State Terror Plot Against U.S. and NATO Military Bases in Germany: The Tajik Connection |last = Soliev |first = Nodirbek |date = 2021 |journal = CTC Sentinel |publisher = [[Combating Terrorism Center]] |issue = 1 |volume = 14 |location = [[West Point, New York]] |pages = 30–38 }}
* {{Cite journal |url = https://ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CTC-SENTINEL-012021.pdf |title = The April 2020 Islamic State Terror Plot Against U.S. and NATO Military Bases in Germany: The Tajik Connection |last = Soliev |first = Nodirbek |date = 2021 |journal = CTC Sentinel |publisher = [[Combating Terrorism Center]] |issue = 1 |volume = 14 |location = [[West Point, New York]] |pages = 30–38 |access-date = 23 June 2021 |archive-date = 13 June 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210613205050/https://www.ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/CTC-SENTINEL-012021.pdf |url-status = dead }}
{{refend}}
{{refend}}


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[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:Tajikistani military personnel]]
[[Category:Tajikistani military personnel]]
[[Category:Deaths by airstrike during the Syrian civil war]]
[[Category:Deaths by Russian airstrikes during the Syrian civil war]]
[[Category:Rewards for Justice]]

Latest revision as of 23:37, 16 December 2024

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Salimovich and the family name is Khalimov.

Gulmurod Khalimov
Birth nameGulmurod Salimovich Khalimov (Гулмурод Салимович Халимов)
Born(1975-05-14)14 May 1975
Varzob, Tajik SSR, Soviet Union
Died8 September 2017(2017-09-08) (aged 42)
Near Deir ez-Zor, Syria
Allegiance Tajikistan (1993–2015)
 Islamic State (2015–17)
Service / branchMinistry of Internal Affairs (Tajikistan)
RankLieutenant colonel (Tajikistan)
War minister (ISIL)
CommandsOMON (Tajikistan)[1]
Military of the Islamic State
Battles / warsTajikistan insurgency
Syrian civil war

Gulmurod Salimovich Khalimov (Tajik: Гулмурод Салимович Ҳалимов, Russian: Гулмурод Салимович Халимов) (14 May 1975 – 8 September 2017) was a Tajik and Islamist military commander. He was a lieutenant-colonel and commander of the police special forces of the Interior Ministry of Tajikistan until 2015, when he defected to the Islamic State.[2][3] In September 2016, he was reported to have been appointed as the minister of war of IS in place of Abu Omar al-Shishani; his appointment had not been announced by IS for fears that he might be targeted in airstrikes by the anti-IS coalition.[4] On 8 September 2017, Khalimov was allegedly killed during a Russian airstrike near Deir ez-Zor, Syria.[5] However, the Tajik government, United Nations, and the United States believed that he was still alive by 2019, though his exact fate remained disputed. By 2020, Islamist militants claimed he had died at some point; this source was considered unreliable by the Tajik government.[6] Regardless, the United States had removed Khalimov from their Rewards for Justice Program by 2021.[7]

History

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

He was born on 14 May 1975 in Varzob, Tajikistan, then part of the Soviet Union.[8]

Service with the Tajik security forces

[edit]

Khalimov eventually joined the Tajik security forces and was trained as sniper[9][10][11] and rose to lead the Tajik OMON special forces;[1] in this position, he was considered to be "one of the best-trained officers in the country". He helped the government to repress Islamist extremists during the Tajikistan insurgency.[2][12] From 2003 to 2014, Khalimov participated in five counterterrorism training courses in the United States and in Tajikistan, through the United States Department of State's Diplomatic Security/Anti-Terrorism Assistance program.[13] There exist no sources that indicate that Khalimov ever received religious training or engaged in preaching.[9]

Disappearance

[edit]

Khalimov disappeared in late April 2015[14] He was notably absent from a 6 May meeting of Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda with leading police officers at OMON's headquarters in Dushanbe.[15] According to his brother Nazir, both his phone and social media accounts had been deactivated.[16] According to family members, Khalimov left home on 13 April after giving his wife around $200 in spending money, less than the amount he frequently gave her before departing on business trips. Meanwhile, Tajik media quoted unnamed sources in law enforcement as saying Khalimov left Dushanbe on May 1 along with 10 other men, later being seen at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, Asia-Plus news agency reported.[17]

Islamic State

[edit]

Khalimov resurfaced on 28 May 2015 in an IS video.[18] Although hundreds of Tajiks had already joined IS by this point, Khalimov's defection was an "unprecedented case" due to his being a successful, high profile officer and part of the establishment[2] rather than the poor, from whom Islamist groups mostly recruit. According to regional expert Deirdre Tynan, Khalimov's defection was nevertheless symptomatic, as "there is an element of doubt in people within the [Tajik] civil and security services about what is the trajectory of their countries" and increasing support for radical religious ideologies.[1] Khalimov was the most prominent of the more than 2,000 Tajiks reported to have joined IS.[19]

After joining IS, Khalimov travelled to Syria, where he was war minister and became an important recruiter for the group.[20][10] Tajik security authorities claimed that Khalimov personally led a unit of 200 militants, including 50 Europeans in Syria, and was involved in planning terrorist attacks in Central Asia as well as Europe.[20] In July 2017, four of his relatives in Tajikistan were killed and three arrested by security forces; according to the government, they were IS supporters.[10]

In a 10-minute IS propaganda video clip posted in social networks, he vowed to "bring jihad to Russia", while also lambasting Tajik guest workers in Russia, referring to them as "slaves of infidels".[21]

Tajik reaction

[edit]

Tajik Prosecutor-General Manuchehr Makhmudzod announced on 29 May 2015 that a probe had been opened into Khalimov's activities. The Prosecutor-General's Office said on June 3 that Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov was wanted for crimes including high treason and illegal participation in military actions abroad. "Acting for mercenary means, he joined the international terrorist organization calling itself Islamic State," the statement said.[22][23]

US and UN sanctions

[edit]

On 29 September 2015, he was made subject to sanctions by the United States Department of State.[24] He was also made subject to sanctions by the United Nations Security Council Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee on 29 February 2016.[25]

In August 2016, the United States Department of State issued a $3 million USD bounty on Khalimov under its Rewards for Justice program.[26][27]

Reported death and disputes about his fate

[edit]

On 8 September 2017, Khalimov was allegedly killed during a Russian airstrike near Deir ez-Zor, along with Abu Muhammad al-Shimali, with unconfirmed reports of the attack using Russia's precision BETAB-500 bunker-busting bombs.[28] The United Nations[20] and the Tajik government continued to believe that Khalimov was still alive, albeit not necessarily as a member of IS.[29] In 2019, Tajik authorities stated that Khalimov had relocated to Badakhshan Province in northern Afghanistan.[20] In contrast, the United Nations claimed that he was still in Syria, leading a unit of 600 Tajik militants in Idlib Governorate after losing his position as IS war minister.[20][30][28]

On 3 August 2020, Tajikistan's Minister of Internal Affairs Ramazon Rahimov declared that Tajik IS fighters had revealed that Khalimov as well as his family had been killed in an airstrike in Syria, although he later qualified his statement, arguing that these sources were not necessarily trustworthy.[29][6] Without further proof of his demise, the Tajik government continued to regard him as alive.[9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Roth, Andrew (30 May 2015). "Police Commander From Tajikistan Appears in ISIS Video". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Tajikistan special forces chief Gulmurod Khalimov 'joins IS'". BBC News. BBC. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  3. ^ Tharoor, Ishaan (28 May 2015). "The U.S.-trained commander of Tajikistan's special forces has joined the Islamic State". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  4. ^ International Business Times (6 September 2016). "Isis: US-trained Tajik special forces chief Gulmurod Khalimov becomes Isis 'war minister'". Yahoo! News. Yahoo!. Retrieved 18 January 2017. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ "Russia says its air strike kills several top Islamic State commanders in Syria". Reuters. 8 September 2017.
  6. ^ a b Soliev 2021, pp. 32–33.
  7. ^ "Rewards for Justice - Wanted for Terrorism". Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Counter Terrorism Designations". U.S. Department of the Treasury. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  9. ^ a b c Soliev 2021, p. 33.
  10. ^ a b c "IS 'minister of war' killed in Syria air attack, claims Russia". Middle East Eye. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  11. ^ Najibullah, Farangis (12 May 2015). "Top Tajik Cop Disappears, Sparking Alarming Reports". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Tajik officer's defection to Isis highlights US support for repressive regime". TheGuardian.com. 2 June 2015.
  13. ^ McConnell, Dugald; Todd, Brian (30 May 2015). "Man who joined ISIS trained in the US". CNN. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  14. ^ Najibullah, Farangis; Ahmadi, Mumin (12 May 2015). "Top Tajik Cop Disappears, Sparking Alarming Reports". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  15. ^ "The US trained commander of Tajikistans special forces has joined the Islamic State". The Washington Post. 28 May 2015. (subscription required)
  16. ^ Najibullah, Farangis; Ahmadi, Mumin (12 May 2015). "Top Tajik Cop Disappears, Sparking Alarming Reports". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  17. ^ Najibullah, Farangis; Ahmadi, Mumin (12 May 2015). "Top Tajik Cop Disappears, Sparking Alarming Reports". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  18. ^ Solovyov, Dmitry (28 May 2015). "Commander of elite Tajik police force defects to Islamic State". Reuters. Almaty. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  19. ^ "Tajikistan's crackdown on observant Muslims intensifies". The Economist. The Economist Newspaper Limited. 21 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  20. ^ a b c d e Soliev 2021, p. 32.
  21. ^ Solovyov, Dmitry. "The US-trained commander of Tajikistan's elite police force just defected to ISIS". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  22. ^ "U.S. Confirms Training Tajik Ex-Police Commander Who Joined IS". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  23. ^ "Tajik OMON Commander Wanted For Treason". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  24. ^ "Designations of Foreign Terrorist Fighters". U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Public Affairs. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  25. ^ "Gulmurod Khalimov". United Nations Security Council. United Nations and the Security Council Affairs Division. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  26. ^ Ernst, Douglas (31 August 2016). "State Dept. offers $3M reward for U.S.-trained Tajik officer who went rogue for ISIS". Washington Times. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  27. ^ "Gulmurod Khalimov". Rewards for Justice. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  28. ^ a b Suchkov, Maxim A. (11 September 2017). "Don't let Islamic State slip the noose in Syria". Al-Monitor. Jamal Daniel News. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  29. ^ a b Sergey Sukhankin (4 November 2020). "The Phenomenon of Gulmurod Khalimov: Is Islamic State's War Minister Really Dead?". Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  30. ^ "S/2019/570 - e - S/2019/570".

Works cited

[edit]
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