Zafirr Golamaully

Mohammad Zafirr Rechad Golamaully (born February 19, 1989)[1] is a man from Mauritius who traveled to Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in 2014. He was notable for posts about his life in ISIL on his blog, “Dusty Feet”,[2] and for his British and Mauritian family members' prosecution for financing terrorism.[3][4] His younger sister, Lubnaa, followed him to Syria and ISIL in 2015.[4]

The last indication of Zafirr’s whereabouts was in February 2019, when an uncle allegedly transferred money to him via an intermediary in Turkey.[5]

In 2024, Défi Media reported Zafirr had died "some time ago."[5] His death has not been confirmed, however, and in 2025 his name and his sister Lubnaa's were added to the United Nations sanction list and both were charged with financing terrorism.[1]

Zafirr Golamaully
Born (1989-02-19) February 19, 1989
Mauritius
Other nameAbu Hud
Alma materRoyal College Curepipe
Known forIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant member, sanctioned by the UN

Early life

Zafirr attended the Royal College Curepipe between 2001 and 2007.[6] His friends said he had little interest in extremism growing up.[2] Beginning in 2012, according to one friend, Zafirr began advocating for the foundation of a caliphate. In January 2014, Zafirr began writing his blog, “Dusty Feet”.[2] On March 14, he left for Dubai.[7] From there, he traveled to Istanbul, then to Syria and ISIL.[8]

Prior to his departure, Zafirr had confided in his British aunt and uncle, Mohammed Iqbal Golamaully and Nazimabee Golamaully, over Whatsapp, and asked them to help conceal his plans from his parents.[4] His parents thought he was going to study medicine in Turkey.[8]

ISIL

After joining ISIL, Zafirr took the nom de guerre Abu Hud. Online he called himself the Paladin of Jihad.[2] Zafirr asked his aunt and uncle for money after his arrival in Syria, and they sent £219.[4] On his blog, he described his life in Syria and answered questions from prospective recruits. His blog mentioned Scottish ISIL propagandist and recruiter Aqsa Mahmood, as well as well as other notable ISIL bloggers, and Mahmood's blog referenced his.[2]

Zafirr's blog provided advice for anyone who wanted to travel to Syria; he warned prospective travelers to be cautious and plan their trip well in advance. When asked what he enjoyed most about his life in Syria, he said, "This is a tough one but living under shari’ah in the only areas on planet Earth where the laws of Allah are being implemented 100% is pretty awesome."[2]

In February 2015, he posted about the murder of Muath al-Kasasbeh, a Jordanian pilot who was captured by ISIL after his fighter jet was shot down over Syria. Zafirr wrote, "IS not only burned him alive but threw debris and rubbles on top of him and then crushed him. (#WatchTheVidDude) This is because his bombings had the same effect on innocent Muslims. We just gave Jordan a taste of its own medicine."[2]

In March, Zafirr's sister Lubnaa Rechad Golamaully (born August 10, 1992)[1] also traveled to Syria.[4]

In his final blog posts, in September 2015, Zafirr defended ISIL to readers who criticized the group's violence, stating, "You don’t have a clue, not the slightest idea, of what the reality on the ground is. You allow yourself to be fed garbage by a biased media hellbent on portraying us as the bad guys." He defended ISIL's enslavement of the Yazidi people, saying the Yazidis had a belief system that was "filthier than filth".[2]

Prosecution of relatives and sanctions

In 2016, Zafirr's aunt and uncle in Britain, Mohammed Iqbal Golamaully and Nazimabee Golamaully, pleaded guilty to financing terrorism.[4] Zafirr’s uncle was sentenced to 25 months in prison and his aunt to 22 months.[1]

In 2024, Zafirr's parents, Mamode Rechad Golamaully and Zulekha Bibi Cassam Mohamed Golamaully, as well as another uncle, Mohamed Cassam Mohamed Hansrod, were arrested in Mauritius for financing terrorism. They were accused of transferring more than 224,000 Mauritian rupees to Zafirr and his wife between 2014 and 2019.[1] The money was sent via different ISIL agents in Turkey.[5] Mamode Golamaully, who was alleged to have sent a total of 44,956 rupees[9] in August and November 2014,[5] was deceased by June 2025.[10] The cases against Zafirr’s mother (alleged to have sent a total of 130,000 rupees in April and August 2016) and maternal uncle (alleged to have sent 50,000 rupees in February 2019) are pending.[9][5]

In 2025, Zafirr, Lubnaa and another Mauritian national were added to the United Nations sanction list and also charged with financing terrorism.[1] Both Zafirr[11] and Lubnaa's[12] assets were frozen.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "3 Mauritians ADDED to the island's sanction list AND charged with financing terrorism | Comsure, Jersey". www.comsuregroup.com. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Holbrook, Donald; Hopkins, James (2022). "Dusty Feet: The Postings of an ISIS Blogger" (PDF). ICCT Research Paper. doi:10.19165/2022.1.03.
  3. ↑ "Ile Maurice: Trois Mauriciens inscrits sur la liste nationale des sanctions de l'ONU". L'Express (in French). 2025-06-17. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Couple admit funding Islamic State fighter nephew". BBC News. 2016-10-03. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Financement terroriste présumé : trois proches de feu Zafirr Golamaully arrêtés | Le Defi Media Group". defimedia.info (in French). Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  6. ↑ "Djihadistes mauriciens: des amis de Zafirr et Lubnaa Golamaully racontent". lexpress.mu (in French). 2016-10-08. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  7. ↑ "Zafirr et Lubnaa Golamaully, deux ex-élèves de collèges d'élite devenus terroristes". lexpress.mu (in French). 2016-10-05. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  8. 1 2 "Activités terroristes en Syrie : Zafirr Golamaully sur une liste rouge du PMO depuis 2015 | Le Defi Media Group". defimedia.info (in French). Retrieved 2026-03-18.
  9. 1 2 "Radio One - L'enquête du Central CID pour financement du..." Facebook.com. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Mauritius is facing renewed scrutiny after three of its nationals, including the late Mamode Rechad Golamaully, were listed on the United Nations sanctions list for links to the Islamic State". 3News Mauritius. 2025-06-17.
  11. ↑ "SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS : Notice to Designated Party under Section 13(1) of the United Nations (Financial Prohibitions, Arms Embargo and Travel Ban) Sanctions Act 2019" (PDF). Nssec.govmu.org. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Notice under Section 26(4) of the United Nations (Financial Prohibitions, Arms Embargo and Travel Ban) Sanctions Act 2018" (PDF). Nssec.govmu.org. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
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