▁ ▁He ▁was ▁wounded ▁during ▁fighting ▁in ▁the ▁northern - S y rian ▁town ▁of ▁Az az ▁in ▁an ▁air - st rike ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Air ▁Force . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁he ▁gave ▁his ▁o ath ▁of ▁alleg iance ▁to ▁Islam ist - J ih adi ▁group ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁State ▁of ▁Ira q ▁and ▁the ▁Lev ant ▁( IS IL ). ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁State ▁added ▁C us pert ▁to ▁its ▁list ▁of ▁Spe cially ▁Design ated ▁Global ▁T error ists ▁on ▁ 9 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Al - Q a ida ▁San ctions ▁Committee ▁designated ▁him ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁the ▁pro - IS IL ▁W af a ' ▁Media ▁Foundation ▁announced ▁his ▁death ▁during ▁cl ash es ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁G har an ij . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁C us pert ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Kreuz berg , ▁Berlin ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁His ▁father , ▁Richard ▁Luc - G iff ard , ▁was ▁a ▁Gh ana ian ▁national ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁deport ed ▁before ▁C us pert ▁was ▁born . ▁His ▁mother , ▁Sig rid ▁C us pert , ▁is ▁German . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁later ▁raised ▁in ▁Charlot ten burg , ▁Mo ab it ▁and ▁Sch ö ne berg . ▁His ▁mother ▁rem ar ried ▁a