Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 30

By Mojtaba al-Hosseini
Translated into Farsi by: Mohammad Hossein Zavar Kabeh
Translated into English by: M.B. Khoshnevisan

2026-5-17

Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 30

By Mojtaba al-Hosseini
Translated into Farsi by: Mohammad Hossein Zavar Kabeh
Translated into English by: M.B. Khoshnevisan

***

Of course. Here is the translation from Persian to American English, rendered in a formal, analytical tone suitable for a historical or political context.

***

The long summer

In early May 1981, I returned from regular leave and joined the 11th Field Medical Unit. This return marked the beginning of various events and incidents, as well as a long stay on the front lines—one filled with diverse happenings and transformations. I was living through conditions and days whose bitter and painful traces will never be erased from my memory. These events were intertwined with the pains, sufferings, and adversities of the Khuzestan environment, and the agonizing, grueling conditions of the front. Added to this was the fact that every day added to the length of the war, as security and peace gradually faded away. Undoubtedly, these hardships and calamities wounded the hearts of ordinary people and stripped them of their safety and comfort. Now, one can imagine what torment a doctor with delicate human emotions and sensitivities must have endured because of this! The only balm for my wounds was helping the ailing and wounded victims—those like myself who had no choice but to take part in that unholy war; a war that the Iraqi regime had intended to last only a few days, but which went on for months.

As the war dragged on, many high-ranking retired officers were recalled to service. Brigadier General Dr. Raji Tikriti was one of those officers. He was summoned as the head of medical affairs for the Iraqi army — the highest medical position, overseeing military healthcare services. His return brought a new wave of misfortune for us conscript doctors. Brigadier General Raji issued a directive concerning the permanent distribution of conscript doctors among all regiments and companies stationed on the front lines. This meant that hundreds of conscript doctors had to be present on the front lines alongside other combatants, constantly exposed to danger. This issue marked the beginning of a great calamity for these national assets — people who had spent years staying up sleepless nights for their education, only to end up killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.

The second directive issued by that brigadier general doctor was the promotion of conscript doctors, dentists, and pharmacists — except for those whose mothers and wives were non-Iraqi or non-Arab, so-called "foreign subjects" — to the rank of Second Lieutenant (Reserve). This measure proved effective in resolving the contradictions existing within medical units. The fact is that having a doctor with the rank of conscript and a nurse with a non-commissioned officer's insignia is contrary to military law. Therefore, granting officer rank to conscript doctors — who are required to serve 45 days each year as reservists — resolved these issues. The only advantages we gained from this promotion were, firstly, that our salaries were adjusted, and secondly, that we were relieved of the mischief of some soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and ignorant officers — because military rank is the only useful criterion in the Iraqi army. In contrast, knowledge and ethics — even if a military person is familiar with them — were not things that would compel other military personnel to show respect.

May 13, 1981 marked the beginning of the longest summer of my entire life. According to the orders of Brigadier General Raji Tikriti, I was to depart as a doctor assigned to the Third Battalion of the Twentieth Brigade. I was the first conscript doctor leaving a field unit for the front lines; and given my special status within the unit, the prediction of such a day was not unexpected.

After gathering my personal belongings, I said goodbye to both my friends and enemies in the unit. Some were happy to see me go, while others were sad. I bid farewell to the first group with great pride and parted from them with a smile, so that they would not be so pleased with my departure. I boarded the ambulance along with Warrant Officer Abbas, a nurse who accompanied me as a guide on this journey. The road leading to the front lines was very rough. Along the way, he showed me kindness and reminded me that the Twentieth Brigade was an old brigade that had participated in the overthrow of the royal regime under the leadership of Abd al-Karim Qassem. He said, "The Third Battalion, where you are now headed, under the command of Colonel Abd al-Salam Aref, besieged Qasr al-Rahab and killed the king."

Along the way, while thinking about my own future troubles, I also listened to my companion's words. I was both happy and sad. I was happy because I was getting away from that corrupt bunch and distancing myself from the intelligence agents; and I was sad because the dangerous situation on the front lines worried me greatly.

We approached the positions of the Third Battalion at around 10 a.m. and I spotted several ambulances parked in designated spots on the right side of the road. I realized that this was the location of the battalion's mobile medical unit. We left the dirt road and headed toward the mobile medical unit. The unit's personnel, led by Warrant Officer Nurse Muhammad Salim, welcomed us. The mobile unit consisted of three bunkers. One of them was small yet sturdy, used for storing medications. The second, located nearby, was the work area for the nurses. And finally, the third bunker, situated 40 meters from the second, served as the resting area for the ambulance drivers.

After a short rest and drinking tea, I went with Warrant Officer Muhammad to the battalion headquarters, and while presenting my transfer letter, I became acquainted with some of the battalion's officers, including First Lieutenant Kan'an, the battalion deputy commander; Lieutenant Muhammad Javad, his deputy; Captain Salam, the intelligence officer; and First Lieutenant Javad, the political orientation officer. Then I returned to the mobile medical unit and became acquainted with its personnel, respectively: Warrant Officer Nurse Abd al-Khaliq, Master Sergeant Nurse Jassem, Staff Sergeant Nurse Khamis, the medical assistant Ghazi, and the ambulance drivers: Muwaffaq, Abd al-Khumra, Karim, and Muhammad. I chose the bunker designated for medications as my workplace.

The battalion's positions were located on a flat plain that stretched from south to north, extending toward the positions of the Iranian forces. On the right side of our battalion was the First Battalion, and on the left side was the Second Battalion of the Twentieth Brigade. A dirt road running behind the battalion headquarters and north of the mobile medical unit's headquarters connected these battalions to one another. The front-line positions of our battalion were situated behind a high embankment, with water in front of it separating us from the Iranian forces stationed in the village of Kooheh — located between Hamidiyeh and Susangerd. The village of Kooheh was adjacent to a forest filled with towering trees, an extension of the great forest south of Ahvaz.

To be continued …