Salam Jassem Hussein Explained

Salam Jassem Hussein
Honorific Suffix:Colonel
Native Name Lang:ar
Birth Date:1979
Nickname:Major Salam
Birth Name:Salam Jassem Hussein
Branch:Iraqi army
Serviceyears:2003–current
Rank:Colonel
Unit:Iraqi Special Operations Forces
Battles:Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006)
Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)

Salam Jassem Hussein al-Obeidi (aka Major Salam, b: 1979[1]) is an Iraqi officer who received media appraisal during the second Iraqi civil war and the Second battle of Mosul (2016–2017).Salam Hussein is now Colonel.

Early life

Salam Jassem Hussein studied linguistics at university, studying English and Hebrew when the 2003 Iraqi war began. After the defeat of Saddam Hussein, Salam, against his father's wishes, entered the newly formed and Western-sponsored Iraqi army in late 2003. He was assigned to the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Force (ICTF).

In 2004 he joined the fighting during the battle of Najaf against Shia militants from the Mahdi army.[2]

Second Iraqi civil war

When the second Iraqi Civil war erupted, Major Salam Hussein led the 2nd battalion of the 1st division (ISOF-1), part of the Iraqi Special Operations Forces, known as the Golden Division.[3] [4] [5] Major Hussein is critical of Iraq's political establishment, especially former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whom he regards as the main cause of his country's crisis. He forbade the use of influential Shia cleric Hussein's flag, frequently seen flying over Iraqi army's vehicles and voiced his opposition to anti-Sunni sectarian policies and violence supported or encouraged by various Shia politicians in power.

He joined the battles of Tikrit and Ramadi. On 9 June 2016, while involved in the battle of Fallujah where he sustained injuries from a missile attack.

In late 2016, while taking part in the second battle of Mossul, he led the Golden Division which breached Mosul's Eastern defenses on 1 November 2016.[6] [7] In late December 2016, after the conquest of the Eastern side of Mosul, he left for the US to train 6 months.[8] He returned to Mosul in June 2017 with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, to lead the offensive on Mosul's old town, on the western bank of the river.

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Major Salam, icône de la guerre contre l'EI en Irak. Sallon. Hélène. 24 January 2017. Le Monde. 2019-11-11. fr.
  2. News: Mossoul entièrement reprise par les forces irakiennes. Sallon. Hélène. 12 July 2017. Le Monde. 2019-11-11. fr.
  3. News: Sur le front de Mossoul, avec les forces d'élites irakiennes. Sallon. Hélène. 13 January 2017. Le Monde. 2019-11-11. fr.
  4. News: Sur le front de Mossoul, une bataille rue par rue contre l'organisation Etat islamique. Ourdan. Rémy. 10 December 2016. Le Monde. 2019-11-11. fr.
  5. Web site: À Mossoul, au cœur d'une guerre hors norme. Jaulmes. Adrien. 24 November 2016. Le Figaro.fr. fr. 2019-11-11.
  6. News: Les forces irakiennes visent les djihadistes, un à un, la nuit, dans les faubourgs de Mossoul. Sallon. Hélène. 28 October 2016. Le Monde. 2019-11-11. fr.
  7. News: Les forces irakiennes sont entrées dans Mossoul, mais le plus dur reste devant elles. Sallon. Hélène. 2 November 2016. Le Monde. 2019-11-11. fr.
  8. News: A Mossoul, les forces spéciales irakiennes se préparent à reprendre le dernier carré de l'EI. Sallon. Hélène. 27 June 2017. Le Monde. 2019-11-11. fr.