ISIS sniper battalion shooters will be trained in “Juba, the Sniper” inspired fashion, according to Islamic State social media posts. One of the ISIS sniper units will reportedly “continue the legacy” of Juba, who is believed to have killed 40 American soldiers in Baghdad.
The ISIS sniper battalion is was allegedly created as part of a propaganda battle in response to the Chris Kyle, American Sniper movie. A sniper similar to the Sunni insurgent known as “Juba, the Sniper” is reportedly featured in the wildly popular, and critically-acclaimed film about the top American sniper.
ISIS snipers are reportedly responsible for the deaths of a multitude of both Iraqi and Kurdish soldiers. The Islamic State recently released the first known photos of its “Juba, the Sniper” inspired shooters. In the photos, both clean-shaven men appearing to be new recruits, and bearded ISIS militants are shown.
The ISIS snipers posed with their long-range Russian Dragunov sniper rifles somewhere in northern Iraq. The shooters wore khaki uniforms, ski goggles, and peaked caps in the photos. A jihadi tracking group based in the United States revealed that the ISIS sniper battalion is a part of the Ninewa Division. The division out of Northern Iraq is one of the 16 administrative regions the Islamic State is believed to control in Iraq and Syria.
ISIS social media accounts quickly noted the link between Juba the Sniper and the new special forces shooters. American Sniper was based on the autobiography of Chris Kyle, subtitled, Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History. Chris Kyle is credited with 255 kills, 160 of which were confirmed by the Department of Defense, making Kyle the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history.
In American Sniper, Chris Kyle is portrayed by Bradley Cooper. During the film, a rival for Cooper’s character named Mustafa, comes into play. The Mustafa character allegedly represents “Juba, the Sniper.” Juba was a member of the Sunni Islamic Army in Iraq – IAI. The army reportedly included soldiers who had served in Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath Party, were members of his Republican Guard, and were intelligence officers.
Juba’s marksmanship abilities reportedly permitted him to hit targets up to 200 meters away. Videos of Juba shooting also included threats directed at then President George W. Bush.
“I have nine bullets in this gun and I have a present for George Bush. I am going to kill nine people.”
“He’s good. Every time we dismount, I’m sure everyone has got him in the back of their minds. He’s serious threat to us,” U.S. Military specialist Travis Burress said of Juba the Sniper. “He has the judgment and discipline to take a shot, wisely choose an escape route, and immediately avoid capture. This is not a zealot, this is a calculated shooter,” retired Green Beret sniper Major John Plaster said.
Some believe that Juba the sniper is a composite of several skilled marksman. “[Juba the sniper] — he’s a product of the U.S. Military. We’ve built up this myth ourselves,” Captain Brendan Hobbs said.
An ISIS sniper is credited with killing Iranian Revolutionary Guard Brigadier General Hamid Taqavi in December. The brigadier general was one of the Iranian military advisers responsible for training Shi’a militia members to fight against ISIS.
What do you think about the formation of an ISIS sniper battalion?