“Maher Al-Akkal” | From Al-Raqqa to areas of National Army under protection of “Ahrar Al-Sharqiyah” becoming “Wali Al-Sham” after he was Emir of the area and accused of killing prominent dignitary

SOHR activists obtained news of “Maher Al-Akkal”, “Wali Al-Sham” of ISIS, who was killed along with his companion after being targeted by a US drone this evening in a village in Jinderes countryside north western of Aleppo, while they were on a motorbike.

According to reliable SOHR sources, “Maher Al-Akkal” was a commander of ISIS during its control over Al-Raqqa city “capital of alleged caliphate”, before SDF took over Al-Raqqa supported by the International Coalition on July 2017, where the commander remained hidden in Al-Raqqa while being accused of “supporting the assassination of a prominent dignitary in Al-Raqqa” on 2018. The dignitary was “Al-Shaikh Bashir Faisal Al-Huwaidy”

After that, Maher Al-Akkal moved from SDF-held areas to areas of the Turkish-backed National Army in Tel Abyad on 2020, and moved later to Afrin area under coordination and protection of “Ahrar Al-Sham” faction, which is listed as terroristic faction.

He transported freely and held an identity card issued by the Local Council in Afrin with a nickname and fake birthplace in Al-Rostan in Homs countryside the period before his death. However, “Wali Al-Sham” hails from Solok town in northern Al-Raqqa countryside.

Moreover, “Maher Al-Akkal” survived miraculously during the airdrop operation by the International Coalition on June 16, in Al-Hamira village in Jarablus countryside in areas held by Turkish forces and “National Army” factions north eastern of Aleppo, where the son of a prominent ISIS commander was arrested, and he was known as “Fawaz Al-Kordy.”

It is worth noting that “Maher Al-Akkal” “Wali Al-Sham” has several relatives, who are high ranked commanders of ISIS, including a person responsible of executing attacks in Turkey and is known as “Sulaiman Al-Akkal”, who was arrested by the Turkish Security on January, 2021, and is currently held in Turkish prisons

Reliable sources informed SOHR that a former ISIS commander and his escort were killed in an attack by a drone affiliated to the International Coalition, while travelling on their motorcycle in Ghaltan village in Jendires district in Afrin countryside in north-western Aleppo.

According to SOHR sources, the targeted man called “Maher Al-Akkal,” a commander in the Turkish-backed faction of “Jaysh Al-Sharqiyyah,” who was carrying a fake ID issued by the local council in Afrin.

The man was also a former prominent ISIS commander during the organisation’s control of Al-Raqqah city, before he moved from “Peace Spring” area to Afrin canton in 2020, where commanders of “Jaysh Al-Sharqiyyah” facilitated his travel.

It is worth noting that the targeted commander was the brother of “Fayez Al-Akkal” who was the “Emir of the deputed committee” (the Administration of the Caliphate States), and he was killed in a similar attack in Al-Bab city in June 2020.