| Salam Jassem Hussein Lieutnant-Colonel | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Salam Jassem Hussein |
| Nickname | Major Salam |
| Born | 1979 |
| Allegiance |
 Iraq |
| Service/branch | Iraqi army |
| Years of service | 2003-current |
| Rank | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Unit | Iraqi Special Operations Forces |
| Battles/wars |
Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006)
|
Salam Jassem Hussein al-Obeidi (aka Major Salam, b: 1979[1]) is an Iraqi militaryman who got media appraisal in the second Iraqi civil war and the Second battle of Mosul (2016-2017).[1] Salam Hussein is now Lieutenant-Colonel.
Early life[]
A Shia Muslim, Salam Jassem Hussein studied languages at university, studying English and Hebrew when the 2003 Iraqi war starts.[1] After the defeat of Saddam Hussein, Salam, against his father's wishes, entered the newly formed and Western-sponsored Iraqi army in late 2003.[1] He was assigned to the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Force (ICTF).[1]
In 2004, he joined the fighting during the battle of Nadjaf 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.[1][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.[1] 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.[1]
He joined the battles of Tikrit and Ramadi.[1][5] On June 9, 2016, while involved in the battle of Fallujah where he sustained injuries from a missile attack.[1]
In late 2016, while taking part in the second battle of Mossul, he led the Golden Division which breached Mosul's Eastern defenses on November 1, 2016.[1][6][7] In late December 2016, after the conquest of the Eastern side of Mosul, he left for the US in order to train 6 months.[1][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.[8]
See also[]
- Iraqi Special Operations Forces aka Golden Division
- Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)
- Captain Harith al-Sudani
- Abu Azrael
- Abu Tahsin al-Salhi
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Sallon, Hélène (2017-01-24). "Major Salam, icône de la guerre contre l'EI en Irak" (in fr). Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2017/01/24/major-salam-j-accepte-tout-ce-qui-peut-preserver-la-vie-de-mes-soldats-et-des-civils_5067965_3210.html.
- ↑ Sallon, Hélène (2017-07-12). "Mossoul entièrement reprise par les forces irakiennes" (in fr). Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/moyen-orient-irak/article/2017/07/12/mossoul-entierement-reprise-par-les-forces-irakiennes_5159434_1667109.html.
- ↑ Sallon, Hélène (2017-01-13). "Sur le front de Mossoul, avec les forces d'élites irakiennes" (in fr). Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/m-actu/article/2017/01/13/sur-le-front-de-mossoul-avec-les-forces-d-elites-irakiennes_5062324_4497186.html.
- ↑ Ourdan, Rémy (2016-12-10). "Sur le front de Mossoul, une bataille rue par rue contre l'organisation Etat islamique" (in fr). Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/proche-orient/article/2016/12/10/sur-le-front-de-mossoul-une-bataille-rue-par-rue-contre-l-organisation-etat-islamique_5046761_3218.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Jaulmes, Adrien (2016-11-24). "À Mossoul, au cœur d'une guerre hors norme" (in fr). https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2016/11/24/01003-20161124ARTFIG00323--mossoul-au-coeur-d-une-guerre-hors-norme.php.
- ↑ Sallon, Hélène (2016-10-28). "Les forces irakiennes visent les djihadistes, un à un, la nuit, dans les faubourgs de Mossoul" (in fr). Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2016/10/28/les-forces-irakiennes-visent-les-djihadistes-un-a-un-la-nuit-dans-les-faubourgs-de-mossoul_5022231_3210.html.
- ↑ Sallon, Hélène (2016-11-02). "Les forces irakiennes sont entrées dans Mossoul, mais le plus dur reste devant elles" (in fr). Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/proche-orient/article/2016/11/02/les-forces-irakiennes-sont-entrees-dans-mossoul-mais-le-plus-dur-reste-devant-elles_5023869_3218.html.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Sallon, Hélène (2017-06-27). "A Mossoul, les forces spéciales irakiennes se préparent à reprendre le dernier carré de l'EI" (in fr). Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/moyen-orient-irak/article/2017/06/27/a-mossoul-les-forces-speciales-irakiennes-se-preparent-a-reprendre-le-dernier-carre-de-l-ei_5151782_1667109.html.
- Fighting the Islamic State with Iraq's Golden Division: The Road to Fallujah, Vice News, June 17, 2016.
The original article can be found at Salam Jassem Hussein and the edit history here.