Abu Yusuf Al-Turki Explained

Abu Yusuf Al-Turki
Birth Name:	Ümit Yaşar Toprak
Birth Place:	Bursa, Turkey
Death Date:	23 September 2014 (aged 44) ^[1]
Death Place:	Idlib Governorate, Syria^[2]
Death Cause:	Killed by bombardment
Nationality:	Turkish^[3]
Other Names:	"The Turk"^[4]
Module:	Embed: yes Allegiance: al-Qaeda in Iraq (formerly) Taliban al-Nusra Front Khorasan Battles: Iraq War War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Syrian Civil War Military intervention against ISIL

Ümit Yaşar Toprak^[3] (1970 – 23 September 2014) also known by his nom de guerre Abu Yusuf Al-Turki (the "Turk") was a sniper in the al-Nusra Front^[5] who trained fighters on how to become snipers.^[4] He was also a member of the Wolf Unit, which was described as a unit of al-Nusra Front fighters (according to documents found by members of the Dubai-based Al Aan TV station).^[6] The Wolf Unit is reportedly another name for the Khorasan Group,^[7] though there are indications that the Khorasan Group may not exist as a separate entity from Jabhat al-Nusra.^[8] Of Turkish descent,^[9] Al-Turki lived in the Turkish province of Bursa, leaving behind five children so that he could fight for the al-Nusra Front.^[3] On 23 September 2014, Al-Turki was killed during a series of a U.S.-led anti-Khorasan Group coalition airstrikes over Syria.^[10]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Khorasan leader's death suggested in militant tweets. 6 October 2014. AFP. 28 September 2014.
2. Web site: French bomb-maker with Khorasan radicalized over 'several years'. CNN. 1 November 2014. 3 November 2014.
3. News: US raids kill Al-Qaeda's Turkish sniper in Syria. Agence-France Presse. 24 September 2014. 2 October 2014.
4. News: US airstrikes target Al Nusrah Front, Islamic State in Syria. 2 October 2014. Long War Journal.
5. Web site: British teenage jihadi believed to have been killed in Syria. The Guardian. 24 September 2014. 2 October 2014.
6. Web site: حصري: وثائق تظهر أن مجموعة خراسان هي نفسها مجموعة الذئب التابعة للنصرة. Al Aan TV. 1 October 2014. 2 October 2014.
7. Web site: Is Khorasan's real name "the Wolf Unit of Jabhat al-Nusra"?. Vox Media. 30 September 2014. 2 October 2014.
8. News: Wolf or Khorasan: Who Was Jabhat al-Nusra's Abu Yusuf al-Turki?. Chechens in Syria. Joanna. Paraszczuk. 2 October 2014. 8 October 2014.
9. News: ABD saldırısında Nusra'nın Türk komutanı öldü. Dünya Bülteni. 23 September 2014. 2 October 2014. Turkish. ABD'nin bu sabah Nusra ve IŞİD hedeflerine düzenlediği saldırıda, Nusra Cephesi'nin Türk asıllı komutanı Ebu Yusuf el Türki de hayatını kaybetti.
10. Web site: 'The Turk' is dead: Al Qaeda-linked terror group says leader died in Syria airstrikes. CNN. 23 September 2014. 2 October 2014. Chelsea. Carter. Elise. Labott. Jim. Sciutto.