Salam Jassem Hussein

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.

Salam Jassem Hussein

Lieutnant-Colonel
Birth nameSalam Jassem Hussein
Nickname(s)Major Salam
Born1979
Allegiance Iraq
Service/branchIraqi army
Years of service2003-current
RankLieutenant-Colonel
UnitIraqi Special Operations Forces
Battles/warsIraqi insurgency (2003–2006)

Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)

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

References
  1. Sallon, Hélène (2017-01-24). "Major Salam, icône de la guerre contre l'EI en Irak". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  2. Sallon, Hélène (2017-07-12). "Mossoul entièrement reprise par les forces irakiennes". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  3. Sallon, Hélène (2017-01-13). "Sur le front de Mossoul, avec les forces d'élites irakiennes". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  4. Ourdan, Rémy (2016-12-10). "Sur le front de Mossoul, une bataille rue par rue contre l'organisation Etat islamique". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  5. Jaulmes, Adrien (2016-11-24). "À Mossoul, au cœur d'une guerre hors norme". Le Figaro.fr (in French). Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  6. Sallon, Hélène (2016-10-28). "Les forces irakiennes visent les djihadistes, un à un, la nuit, dans les faubourgs de Mossoul". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  7. Sallon, Hélène (2016-11-02). "Les forces irakiennes sont entrées dans Mossoul, mais le plus dur reste devant elles". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  8. Sallon, Hélène (2017-06-27). "A Mossoul, les forces spéciales irakiennes se préparent à reprendre le dernier carré de l'EI". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 2019-11-11.
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