Hisham al Hashimi

Hisham al-Hashimi was an Iraqi researcher and security expert who specialised in armed groups and extremism, especially the Islamic State and its supporters. He was born in Baghdad in 1973 and belonged to a prominent family of political and intellectual leaders. His father, Mohammed Hadid, was a cabinet minister and a founding member of the Iraqi National Democratic Party. His sister, Zaha Hadid, was a world-renowned architect. He studied at the University of Baghdad and then at the University of Cambridge, where he obtained his bachelor's degree. He worked as an adviser to the Iraqi government on counter-terrorism and security issues, and appeared frequently on local and foreign media outlets as an analyst. He also wrote several books and articles on various topics related to armed groups and extremism, such as the history, ideology, structure, and strategy of the Islamic State and other militant groups. He was widely respected and trusted by his peers and colleagues for his professionalism and integrity. He was also involved in several initiatives to promote dialogue and reconciliation among different factions and communities in Iraq. He was killed near his home in Zayouna, Baghdad, by two gunmen on a motorcycle on 6 July 2020. The assassination was widely condemned by the Iraqi and international community, and blamed on the Iran-backed Shia militia group Kata'ib Hezbollah, which had threatened him before. He was buried at Wadi-us-Salaam, Al-Najaf, Iraq. He is remembered as one of the most influential Iraqi researchers and security experts of his time and a national treasure.