Description:

ABU WAHEEB'S PERSONAL 'DEATH CAMP' FLAG
SHAKER WAHIB AL-FAHDAWI AL-DULAMI (1986 – May 6, 2016), aka Abu Waheeb ('Lion of Anbar'). In 2008 he was detained by US forces in Camp Bucca, along with ABU IBRAHIM AL-HASHIMI AL-QURASHI (1976 – 2022), aka Abdullah Qardash ('Breaker of Walls'), at the time leader of the Islamic State in the Anbar province of Iraq. In 2009 both were sentenced to death as members of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, but before the sentences were carried out, Ibrahim was released somehow, with details unknown, and Waheeb was transferred to Tikrit Central Prison in the Saladin Governorate where he ultimately escaped captivity in 2012. Following a breakout after a riot and attack by forces from the Islamic State of Iraq, Abu Waheeb became a field commander in the Anbar province, where Abu Ibrahim was already operating, and eventually playing an important role in leading major combat operations by 2014, most notably the taking of Mosul the same year. After being made a deputy of the Supreme Leader of ISIL in Iraq, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Ibrahim was replaced as combat leader by his old cohort Waheeb, who assumed the leadership position in combat operations in the Anbar province. Waheeb's duties included the post-combat disposition of captured civilians and enemies at death camps where he flew this exact flag. An especially rare and important relic, Abu Waheeb's hand-painted personal flag captured at an ISIL 'death camp' shortly after Waheeb's death, resulting from a United States-led coalition airstrike. This yellow polyester one-sided flag measures 46 in. wide by 19 in. tall and bears Arabic writing showing allegiance to Abu Ibrahim, the former leader, who was elevated to a position as deputy to al-Bagdadi the supreme leader in Iraq. The flag depicts a drawn sword on the yellow field in heavy white paint. A most chilling image, as this was the method of choice for killing at these death camps. There is a pole pocket at one edge, along with a cloth tie to prevent the banner from sliding down its supporting pole. The flag is a bit ragged at the edges, with some of the paint cracking, but otherwise in good condition. This flag was consigned to us by a member of the U.S. Navy Special Operations Command (SOC) and is accompanied by his letter of provenance, reading in part: '...This unique yellow flag...was flown at a 'Death Camp' of the highest level, [by] an ISIL 'Omir' (leader) who controlled Anbar Province named Shaker Wahib... On May 6, a coalition air strike targeted Abu Wahib, ISIL's military emir for Anbar province and a former member of al-Qaeda in Iraq, who has appeared in ISIL execution videos, as reported by Peter Cook, Pentagon press secretary...This flag was recovered in the far west of Anbar, at one of his infamous death camps, where multiple beheadings had been filmed. Iraqi tribal forces trained by SEAL Team One, captured the death camp following the recapture of the [border] city named Al Waleed. The gold flag was the signature flag of Shakir Wahib, which bears the name of his predecessor and mentor, and was feared by all Iraqis. This flag, was presumably hand painted on the location of the 'Death Camp', and is one of a kind...' No other examples are known to exist.

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January 18, 2024 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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