Two IS commanders executed for financial scandal

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – Sarhad Qadir, the Police Chief for Kirkuk District and sub-district, announced to K24 on Monday, December 21 that Islamic State (IS) militants arrested two of their military commanders in Hawija due to financial charges.

In an interview with K24, Qadir declared their security forces found out about a financial scandal committed by two IS military commanders in Hawija. The Police Chief added after the IS militants' arrest “they were sent to the Sharia Court of Mosul to be investigated about the size of their financial scandal in Hawija.”

Qadir revealed the identity of the two IS military commanders. According to Qadir, Khalil Weis was a former Ba’ath Regime senior military commander who commanded a military division in Iraqi Army. The second, Aday Salih, was a former Ba’ath Regime military officer as well.

Qadir added, “These two officers fled to Syria after the liberation of Kirkuk.” After arriving in Syria, they started supporting extremist groups there. The Police Chief elaborated, “They continued to support terrorist groups including Naqshbandis and Ba’athists.” Both of the former Ba’ath officers were listed among the “Most Wanted Persons” by the United States, he added.

The Police commander stated the two militants recently returned from Syria and took an active role in organizing demonstrations in Hawija, south of Kirkuk, before IS took control of the town. He added that after IS gained control of Hawija, “both [men] joined IS and took [a] military role in this [Hawija] district.”

According to Qadir, Weis and Salih were found guilty by the Sharia Court of Mosul last week and sentenced to execution and were executed by the jihadists last week. The Police Chief commented, “[A] Financial scandal is the reason they [IS] have announced, but there might be other reasons [for this execution].”