Abdelkader Mokhtari (kunya: Abu el-Ma'ali, The Gendarme; died October 2015)[1] was an Algerian commander who became a "sacred legend" for the Bosnian mujahideen in the Bosnian War.[1][2]
Bosnia
Evan Kohlmann claimed that Mokhtari, an Algerian, came to Bosnia with experience from his time in the Armed Islamic Group.[1] He also stated that Mokhtari was serving as second-in-command of a Zenica battalion, under the command of Anwar Shaaban with Fateh Kamal as his right-hand man in 1995,[3] Kohlmann has also stated that Kamal visited 16 countries during that time.[1] Kohlmann later claimed that a 1997 French report suggested that Mokhtari had managed to keep a cache of SA-7 missiles after the Dayton Accords, due to his protection and status with President Alija Izetbegović.[3]
In 1996, some sources suggested that Mokhtari was leading the 3rd Corps, known as the Gazi'a Force, an Arabic term for retribution, which incorporated formerly independent mujahideen units into a single force. Other reports suggest he only led the training portion of the Corps, known as U-Force.
Karim Said Atmani served under his command during the Bosnian war.[2][4]
Later activities
In 1999, the United States conditioned assistance to the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, demanding that the country first hand over Mokhtari to their custody.[5] While Izetbegović initially refused, he subsequently agreed to expel Mokhtari from the country, rather than deport him to the United States.[according to whom?]
In 2005, Mokhtari was interviewed by a Bosnian magazine about his perspective on the trial against Abduladhim Maktouf, a Mujahideen alleged to have been involved in the mistreatment of Croatian prisoners. Mokhtari noted that he had married a Bosnian wife.[3]
Death
Mokhtari died in Oran in October 2015. Salat al-Janazah was performed on 26 October 2015.