Abu al-Walid

In 1986, when he was 19 years old, al-Walid obtained his parents' permission to participate in jihad in Afghanistan.

He soon left for the country to join the mujahideen in their fight against the Russian forces during the Soviet–Afghan War.

The next two years he spent training at the Maktab al-Khidamat, an organization created by Abdullah Azzam and Osama bin Laden.

They trained the international volunteers and distributed funds to Islamic groups.

Upon completing his training, al-Walid was assigned to a combat unit where he started fighting.

On two occasions he briefly returned to Saudi Arabia, once to have an injury to his left hand treated.

After the end of the Afghan War, al-Walid went on to fight in other conflicts in Europe and Asia.

In the 1990s, the movement would lead him to the Balkans, specifically to Bosnia where he fought alongside the Bosniaks in the Bosnian War; he then travelled to Tajikistan, where he assisted the Islamist rebels in the Tajik Civil War; and eventually to Chechnya, where he joined the Chechen mujahideen.

This group had been organized by and was being led by Ibn al-Khattab.

In the First Chechen War, al-Walid served as a Naib (deputy) in Khattab's unit.

He participated in the numerous raids and ambushes that were executed by the IIB, including the April 1996 Shatoy ambush, in which they attacked and destroyed a large Russian armoured column.

After the war, he remained in Chechnya along with most of the battalion It concentrated on setting up a network of camps in the mountainous South of the country, in which they trained Islamist rebels from throughout the region, and recruits from abroad.

He married a Chechen woman.

They had two children together.

On 22 December 1997 al-Walid participated in a surprise attack on the base of the 136th Armoured Brigade of the Russian Army, stationed in Buynaksk, Dagestan.

This raid contributed to the growing tensions between Moscow and the newly formed government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.

In 1999 he participated in the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ’s invasion of Dagestan, which helped catalyze the Second Chechen War.

During this conflict, Khattab's first deputy Hakim al-Medani was killed.

Analysts believe that after al-Medani's death, al-Walid was promoted to the position of first deputy.

Before the events of 1999 in Dagestan, al-Walid was a relatively unknown figure outside of Chechnya.

After his incursion, his notoriety began to rise in Islamist circles abroad.

In the Second Chechen War, al-Walid continued as Khattab's deputy to participate in raids and ambushes.

In 2002 he took over as emir (commander) of an autonomous unit, composed mostly of non-Chechen mujahideen, following the death of Ibn al-Khattab on 20 March 2002.

Abu al-Walid was accused by Russians of terrorist attacks on civilians, and alleged to be an agent of Saudi intelligence, the Muslim Brotherhood, or Bin Laden's al-Qaeda.

He never responded or admitted to any of the charges, but condemned abuses by Russian forces in Chechnya.

During his lifetime, al-Walid stayed out of the spotlight.

His predecessor, Ibn al-Khattab (more commonly known as Khattab), was known to have a personal camera crew of two who followed him into combat.

Speculation arose about al-Walid's identity, whereabouts and actions, and occasionally there were rumours of his death.

A persistent rumour was that he had drowned in June 2002, carried off on his horse after trying to ford a river.

Russian officials announced his death at least seven times.

At one point, even his very existence was deemed doubtful.

On 23 June 2002, his family gave an interview to the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan, telling much about his background.

They said his full given name was Abd Al-Aziz Bin Ali Bin Said Al Said Al-Ghamdi.

Al-Walid was raised in the village of al-Hal, near the city of Baljorashi in Saudi Arabia's Al Bahah Province.

In his native village, his father was a well known imam.

The boy was born into a large family as one of eleven sons.

His brothers claimed that in his youth, al-Walid had enjoyed acting, reading religious books and studying the Quran.

Abu al-Walid (ابو الوليد, full name : Abdulaziz bin Omar Al-Ghamidi transliterated also known as Abu al-Waleed and also called Abu al-Walid al-Ghamdi or simply Abu Walid; 1967 – 16 April 2004) was a Saudi Arabian of the Ghamd tribe who fought as a "mujahid" volunteer in Central Asia, the Balkans, and the North Caucasus.

He was killed in April 2004 in Chechnya by the Russian federal forces.

Al-Walid was one of the most prominent Arabs fighting in Chechnya.