Quick Facts
Biography
Usman Ghazi was the Emir of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, an Islamic militant group based in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He succeeded Usman Aadil after the latter's death in a drone strike. His current whereabouts and condition are unknown after his group was defeated in fighting with the Taliban in Zabul province, though he is presumed dead. Lately the faction of the IMU remaining loyal to the IS leader of Khorasan, Hafiz Saeed Khan, confirmed the death of Ghazi and named a man called Abduholiq as their leader.
History
Just weeks before the Taliban admitted that it had hid Mullah Omar’s death for over two years, Ghazi had released a statement questioning the status of the Taliban leader and praising the Islamic State. Ghazi likely viewed the Taliban’s admission as confirmation that he was right to be skeptical all along, and on August 6, 2015, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan released a video that featured the group’s leader, Uthman Ghazi, and numerous IMU fighters swearing allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Usman Ghazi and the IMU officially pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and merged with its fledgling Khorasan province.
After his group attacked an airport in Karachi, the Pakistani Army launched Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan to flush out the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and other Taliban groups.
Many groups crossed into Afghanistan including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan with its leader Usman Ghazi. He found a sanctuary in Zabul province of Afghanistan besides Mullah Mansoor Dadullah. Mansour was vocal against the Taliban leadership that had emerged after Mullah Omar's death.
After creating considerable differences with the Afghan Taliban, Mansour's and Usman Ghazi's joint base was raided in late 2014 where all the affiliates of Mansour were reported to have been killed including IMU leader, Usman Ghazi. Some argue that he fled the scene with some senior members. Lately the real fate of Ghazi was unknown. However, some pictures of his dead body surfaced recently and now he can officially be called dead.