This is a list of current and former members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), or also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its previous incarnations, including operating as a branch of al-Qaeda known as al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), from 2004 to 2006. Little is known about the leadership or members, as most use assumed names and many fight or appear in video with covered faces.
Current leadership, branches and personnel
Leadership Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, caliph since 3 August 2023. Omar al-Furkan, high ranking IS fighter. Candidate for 2nd IS Caliph. Member of IS's leading council. Ayoub Rakawi, candidate for 2nd IS caliph. Faysal Ahmad Ali al-Zahrani (born 1986), top Saudi oil official. Abu Yusaf, senior security official, European. Abu Muhammad al-Jazrawi, head of Hisbah. (Islamic religious police) Abu Jandal al-Masri, Chief of Information in Raqqa, Egyptian. Abu Suleyman al-Firansi - Moroccan, former soldier of the French Foreign Legion, worked with the Brussels Islamic State terror cell and is one of the suspected masterminds behind the November 2015 Paris attacks. Fatiha Mejjati (born 1961), senior female commander, Moroccan. Abu Ahmed (senior official interviewed by The Guardian) Ahlam al-Nasr, propagandist (poet by profession), Syrian. Abdullah al-Belgian, preacher and propagandist. Mawlavi Habib Ur Rahman – successor to Qari Hekmat in the north of Afghanistan. Abu Nuh – (IS figure) Abu Salman al-Andalusí, propagandist after the 2017 Barcelona attacks. Hasna al-Sabiti, leader. Khadra Essa (also known as Umm Qaqa al-Somali) is a Dutch citizen of Somali origin who was a Sharia instructor of the Nusaybah women's battalion.
Foreign IS branches and governors of IS territories Mubarak Mohammed al-Otaibi, Syria-based deputy leader of operations in Saudi Arabia. Abu Yasir Hassan, Leader of the Islamic State's Mozambique province. Abdirahman Fahiye Isse Mohamud, Leader of the Islamic State in Somalia. Musa Baluku, Leader of Islamic State – Central Africa Province. Shahab al-Muhajir, Leader of Islamic State – Khorasan Province. Abu Abdillah al-Muhajir, Leader of Islamic State — East Asia Province. Abu Habib al-Libi, senior Libyan leader, served in both Iraq and Libya. Muhammad Sholeh Ibrahim, Indonesian leader. Jalaluddin al-Tunisi, IS leader in Tripoli. Abu Hajar al-Hashemi, Leader of IS Sinai Province. Abu al-Baraa el-Azdi, Governor in IS "Province" of Eastern Libya. Abu Fatima al-Jaheishi, Governor of 'South and Central Euphrates' region. Abdul Qadir Mumin, Leader of the Islamic State in Somalia's al-Karrar office. Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, aka Abdiweli aw-Mahamud or Ina-Waran Walaac, head of the finance office of Islamic State of Somalia. Hachim Chaib (born 1984), known by his nom de guerre Abu Hanifah al-Belgiki, is a chief of Islamic religious police and executioner. Abu Dujana al-Jubouri, Governor of the Aleppo Province.
Personnel Abu Huzaifa al-Kanadi – Canadian IS recruit, returned to Canada in 2016. Sharmeena Begum – British school girl who travelled to join IS after her mother died of cancer. Abu Muhammad al-Italy, who edited an article of Voice of Khorasan. Muhammed Amin (born 1935), oldest jihadist in IS and member of the uyghurs who left China with his family after his son was killed fighting in Syria. Abu Dujanah al-Baljiki is an IS fighter from Belgium who highlighted a remote-control anti-aircraft weapon to target American and French aircraft in a video titled We Will Surely Guide Them To Our Ways. Abu Jihad al-Rusi, an IS fighter from Russia. Abu Suhayb al-Faransi (born ), a former army trainer and businessman. Abu Salih al-Amriki is an IS fighter who urged to carry out attacks and vowed to raise the IS flag over the White House. Abu Jihad Karachai (The real name is Islam Atabiev), (born 1983) Umar's companion. Abu Anisa al-Dagestani (Abu Muhammad ar-Rusi) Abu Maram al-Jazairi Abu Ahmed al-Firansi Abu Daoud al-Maghribi Yanis Belhamra, known by his nom de guerre Abdul Wadoud from France, Islamic State fighter, who taunted President Francois Hollande. He is a former pizza delivery man. Abu al-Abbass al-Shami, Islamic State fighter who appeared in a video called Inside the Khilafah and called on the organization's operatives to "rise up against the infidels" and promised they will reach them from the desert. Mounir Raad (b. 1997), known by his nom de guerre Abu Adam al-Australi, fighter who appeared in Inside the Khilafah 2 and urge supporters to join the fight in Philippines and to take up arms at home and abroad. Abu Abdullah al-Habashi (from Britain) (1993-2014), Islamic State fighter who appeared in a propaganda video on October 2014. It is believed he died in the Syrian border town of Kobani at the age of 21 in November 2014. He was born into a Christian family of Eritrean heritage, in 2009 he converted to Islam and travelled to Syria in December 2013. Abu Dauoud al-Almani (from Germany), Islamic State fighter who calls to join ISIS. Michaël Dos Santos, known by his nom de guerre Abu Osman or Abou Othman (born 1992), ISIL executioner who joined the group in 2013. He was from the Paris suburb of Champigny-sur-Marne and appeared in a video slaying hostages, including Peter Kassig. Abdul Haleem al-Tunisi, foreign fighter.
Former leaders and senior personnel Leaders and personnel captured Abu Omar al-Kurdi (captured in 2005) Abdul Hadi al-Iraqi (captured in 2006) Hamid Juma Faris Jouri al-Saeedi (captured in 2006) Khaled al-Mashhadani (captured in 2007) Bilal Bosnić, (Bosnian Recruiter, captured in 2014) Umm Sayyaf, Abu Sayyaf spouse, also senior leader, was captured in May 2015. Ubaydullah Hussain, (Norwegian Recruiter, captured in December 2015) Salah Abdeslam (captured in March 2016) Neil Prakash (Australian IS recruiter, captured in 2016) Abu Walaa, (German propagandist, captured on November 8, 2016) Hussein al-Dhufairi, (senior Kuwaiti Leader, captured in Manila, Philippines on 6 April 2017) Abdullah el-Faisal – propagandist and recruiter, Jamaican. Captured on 25 August 2017. Ismail al-Eithawi – (Top aide to Baghdadi, captured in February 2018) Mohammed Haydar Zammar (captured in March 2018) Saddam al-Jammal – (Deputy IS governor of their Euphrates province, captured on 9 May 2018) Mohammed al-Qadeer – (Top IS commander, captured on 9 May 2018) Omar al-Karbouli – (Top IS commander, captured on 9 May 2018) Essam al-Zawbai – (Top IS commander, captured on 9 May 2018) Saddam Omar Hussein al-Jamal, commander in Al-Bukamal, Deir Ezzor, responsible for the burning of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh, was captured in 2018. Mark John Taylor – (foreign fighter from New Zealand, captured by Kurdish Forces in December 2018) Mohammed Khalifa, (Canadian propagandist, captured in January 2019 and sentenced to life in prison.) Abu Osama al-Muhajer, (leader of Islamic State – Yemen Province, captured on 25 June 2019, Killed in Syria in July 2023) Abu Abdul Bari - Also known as "Shifa Ali Bashir Muhammad Gerges" and "Shifa al-Nima", (senior Mufti, captured on 18 January 2020) Mawlawi Aslam Farooqi, (Leader of Islamic State – Khorasan Province, captured on 4 April 2020) Abdullah Qardash, (High ranking leader, captured on 20 May 2020) Mu'taz Numan 'Abd Nayif Najm al-Jaburi, (senior leader and bomb-maker, killed on 26 May 2020) Sami Jasim Muhammad al-Jaburi — Also known as "Hajji Hamid", (manager of finances, captured in October 2021) Allison Fluke-Ekren, (Leader of Khatibah Nusaybah, captured in 2021) Abu Omar al-Muhajir (Spokesman, captured on 29 April 2023) Hashem Abu Sidra, leader of Islamic State in Libya, was captured on 4 January 2024.
Leaders killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (founder; killed in June 2006) Abu Ayyub al-Masri (killed in April 2010) Abu Omar al-Baghdadi (killed in April 2010) Al-Nasser Lideen Allah Abu Suleiman (head of military shura; killed in February 2011) Haji Bakr (strategic head and top deputy in Syria, killed in January 2014) Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi (head of Military Shura, killed in June 2014) Abu Khattab al-Kurdi, (senior commander, killed on November 27, 2014) Abu Mohannad al-Sweidawi (member of Military Shura; killed in November 2014) Reda Seyam (senior education official, killed in December 2014) Othman al-Nazih (a Saudi ideologue of the Islamic State killed in early 2015 in Kobani) Abu Sayyaf (senior leader overseeing IS's gas and oil operations, killed in May 2015) Anas al-Nashwan (Abu Malik al-Tamimi al-Najdi), a senior IS Sharia official. Ali Awni al-Harzi, key person of interest in Benghazi attack, was killed on 15 June 2015 in an airstrike in Mosul, Iraq. Tariq bin al-Tahar bin al-Falih al-'Awni al-Harzi (emir of suicide bombers, fundraiser killed in June 2015) Abu Muslim al-Turkmani (also known as Abu Mutaz al-Qurashi, deputy leader in charge of Iraq; killed on 18 August 2015) Abu Nabil al-Anbari (Leader of IS in Libya, killed in an airstrike in November 2015) Abu Saleh, senior Iraqi leader (killed in 2015) Mullah Abdul Rauf (deputy leader of Wilayat Khorasan; killed in 2015) Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost (recruiter for Wilayat Khorasan, left in 2015) Yunis Hunnar (Leader of the Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade, killed in June 2015) Bajro Ikanović (Senior leader and trainer, killed in February 2016) Abu Atheer Amr al-Absi (governor of Aleppo province and coordinator of the Islamic State's media operations, killed in March 2016) Abu Ali al-Anbari, (Deputy leader of IS, killed in March 2016) Abu Waheeb (commander in Al Anbar, Iraq; killed in May 2016) Abu Omar al-Shishani (field commander in Syria, killed in July 2016) Abu Wardah, (senior leader in Sulawesi, Indonesia, killed in July 2016) Hafiz Saeed Khan, (Leader of Islamic State – Khorasan Province, killed in July 2016) Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, (official spokesperson and senior leader, killed in August 2016)Pentagon Confirms U.S. Strike in Syria Killed ISIL Leader 12 September 2016 Salim Mubarok Attamimi or Salim Mobarok al-Tamimin, known by his nom de guerre Abu Jandal al-Yemeni al Indonesi, ISIS leader and recuitrer, died in fighting in Mosul on 5 November 2016. Rustam Asildarov, (Leader of Islamic State – Caucasus Province, killed in December 2016) Abu Jandal al-Kuwaiti, (second-in-command in Syria, Kuwaiti, killed in December 2016) Ahmad Abousamra, (chief editor of Dabiq, killed near al-Thawrah, Syria in January 2017) Zainuri Kamaruddin, (Malaysian commander of Katibah Nusantara, killed in Raqqa in January 2017) Abu Bilal al-Harbi, (governor of Islamic State – Yemen Province, killed in March 2017) Abu Muhammad al Indonesi, also known as Bahrumsyah, Indonesian commander of South-East Asian militants who appeared in a recruitment video in which he urges to migrate to the Islamic State and join the ranks in Indonesia. He was killed on 13 March 2017 in a suicide attack against Syrian Arab Army in Palmyra. The Pentagon doesn't confirm his death. Abdul Haseeb Logari, (governor of Islamic State – Khorasan Province, killed in April 2017 in US special forces raid) Turki al-Binali, (Bahraini Islamic scholar & top religious adviser, killed in May 2017 in Raqqa, Syria) Lavdrim Muhaxheri, (Albanian commander, killed in June 2017 in Syria) Abu Khattab al-Tunisi, (third-highest ranking commander in Syria, killed in June 2017 in Raqqa) Abdul Rahman Ghaleb, (governor of Islamic State – Khorasan Province, killed in July 2017 in Kunar Province, Afghanistan) Abu Bakr al-Qahtani, (Killed in an airstrike on 11 August 2017) Gulmurod Khalimov, (Tajik commander and recruiter, killed near Deir ez-Zor, Syria on 3 September 2017) Abu Muhammad al-Shimali, (key facilitator for foreign fighters, killed near Deir ez-Zor, Syria on 3 September 2017) Isnilon Hapilon, (leader of Abu Sayyaf / IS "Province" of the Philippines, killed in Marawi, Philippines on 16 October 2017) Aqsa Mahmood (born 1993) (senior female recruiter, Scottish-Albanian-American.)