While most people might be terrified of the Islamic State or Daesh, there are some like Ayyub Faleh al-Rubaie who are taking the fight to them. Known popularly as Abu Azrael (Father of Azrael which translates to Angel of Death), the Kataib al-Imam Ali commands an Iraqi Shia military group which has become an icon of resistance against the Islamic State in Iraq.
According to various media reports, his methods are as brutal as the ISIS and he even has his own catchphrase against the ISIS “illa tahin”, which when translated is almost Liam Neeson-esque: “I will hunt you down and grind you to dust.”
Rubaie told AFP that he’s the father of five and there’s some confusion about his background. Some claim that he used to be a physical education teacher at a university in Iraq, while others claim he was an experienced special operations fighter. His exploits on the battlefield have earned him the moniker ‘Iraq’s Rambo’ as well but some claim he might be part of Iran’s propaganda machine. Watch a France 24 video on him below:
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