Abu Tashin al-Salhi, Legendary Iraqi Sniper With Over 320 Confirmed Kills Against ISIS

Abu Tahsin al-Salhi (أبو تحسين الصالح), often referred to as “The Sheikh of Snipers” or “The Hawk Eye,” was a legendary Iraqi marksman who played a pivotal role in the fight against ISIS.

Born in 1953 in Basra, al-Salhi had a long military career, participating in five major conflicts, including the Yom Kippur War, the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, and what we Americans call the Iraq War. Some Iraqis refer to it as Harb Isqāt Ṣaddām, or the War to Overthrow Saddam. His remarkable sniper skills became particularly renowned during Iraq’s war against ISIS, where he was credited with over 320 confirmed kills. This is probably an underestimation of his lethality; some estimates go as high as 384. My money is on the second number.

By the early 1970s, he had traveled from Iraq to Kuwait, where he worked many jobs, including as a shepherd. In that role, he carried a rifle for protection and hunting small game. This is where he says he first learned how to shoot. Around that time, he also traveled to the Soviet Union, particularly to Belarus. It was there that he was trained by the Soviet Army in numerous tasks, including sniper skills. During that era, the Soviet Union was known for training soldiers from allied or friendly nations.

During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, al-Salhi stated he was fighting in the Golan Heights as part of the Fifth Mountain Brigade. A year later, he was fighting in the Second Kurdish-Iraqi War. Fast forward to 2013 and ISIS’ Northern offensive in Iraq. Al-Salhi joined the Sadr Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces before settling into the Ali Al Akbar Brigade.

He quickly gained a reputation for his precision and calm demeanor under pressure. Armed with his omnipresent Steyr anti-materiel rifle, he became a key figure in battles such as the fight for Jurf al-Sakhar and the Makhoul Mountains. That was where he first confronted ISIS.

On the 29th of September, 2017 he was killed in action against ISIS near Hawija, Iraq. He was 64 years old. In 2023, the city of Nasiriyah erected a statue of him in honor of his efforts to eradicate ISIS.

Please take a minute and watch the engaging video below. This is Abu Tashin’s final interview, done just seven days before his death.

He conducted many interviews in his lifetime. In one video, Abu Tahsin famously remarked on how much he loved his work, returning early from a month-long break to continue fighting. He viewed each day on the battlefield as an opportunity to defend his country and was known for saying that two kills in a day were “ridiculous,” considering four his minimum.

In death, al-Salhi has become a symbol of resistance and dedication for Iraqi soldiers and civilians alike. His legacy lives on, with his story inspiring future generations of Iraqi fighters.

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