Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 33

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

2026-6-7

Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 33

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

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

***

Every two weeks, shortly after sunset, I would go to Mobile Medical Unit Eleven. On the way there, my driver "Karim" would drive the car, and on the way back, I would drive, because at night he would fall asleep behind the wheel. He was a very clean and polite soldier. I liked him. Despite these difficult and harsh conditions, I felt fortunate, because with complete freedom, far from the eyes of intelligence agents and the spiteful Ba'athists, I could listen to the radio—especially Radio Tehran—and hear its Arabic programs, the speeches of Imam Khomeini, and the Friday prayer sermons.

Whenever I went to Mobile Medical Unit Eleven and the Ba'athist doctors asked about my condition and the situation in the region, I would reply, "Thank God, we are well and living in complete peace." They would be surprised to hear this, because neither peace nor a good state of affairs was expected from the front lines.

During my time living with the members of the Third Regiment, by virtue of my position as the regiment’s physician, I was in contact with all members of the unit, from the regiment’s commander down to the lowest-ranking soldiers. For this reason, I would like to introduce to the readers some of the individuals I lived with in the unit for a period of time, so that I may provide you with a deeper understanding of the social and moral characteristics of Iraqi soldiers during the war.

Staff Lieutenant Colonel Abd-al Karim Hammoud Abd Ali:

This person was the commander of the Third Regiment, Twentieth Brigade. During my mission at the headquarters of the Twentieth Brigade, I became familiar with his character as the brigade's operations officer; and when he assumed command of our regiment, I was able to get to know him even better. He was a staff officer, originally from Mosul and a resident of the Baghdad officers' quarters. He was married to a female doctor from the Shanshal tribe, to which the Chief of Staff of the Army is also affiliated. Although Lieutenant Colonel Abd-al Karim was not considered a senior officer, he possessed great ambitions. He lived in a state of duality: on one hand, he professed loyalty to the regime that enticed him with wealth and status; on the other hand, he leaned toward Shi'ism and regarded war as a detestable phenomenon. Unlike other ambitious officers who vied with one another to excel in military missions, he avoided combat assignments. His relationship with Brigadier General Staff Salah Qazi, Commander of the Fifth Division and the division's operations officers was very good. Exchanging gifts and hosting lavish dinners played a role in strengthening these ties. Although he was a Ba'athist, he had no affection for Saddam or his deeds. The first time he entered the regiment, he built himself a spacious and sturdy bunker and stationed guards around it. His only companion and confidant in the regiment was me. We often dined together and stayed up late into the night engaged in political conversations and debates. He expressed admiration for the Islamic Republic and continuously listened to Radio Tehran's programs. Our close relationship allowed me, as a physician and according to my human duty, to easily treat the sick and wounded.

Over time, the bond of trust between us grew stronger. This allowed me to discuss a very important matter with him. One day, he left for the division's field headquarters to attend a commanders' officers' meeting. At 9 p.m., the telephone rang. I picked up the receiver and heard the commander's voice inviting me to dinner. I apologized and replied that I had already eaten. He insisted that I come to him. I had no choice but to accept his invitation and set off. Apparently, he had just returned from the Fifth Division's headquarters. After exchanging salutations, I sat down. Signs of fatigue and distress were visible on his face. After a brief conversation about the officers' meeting, he handed me a book and said, "Please read this."

The book was very exquisite in terms of printing and paper quality. A photograph of Saddam Hussein was printed on the first page. The book was titled "Saddam Hussein: The Man, Leader, and Fighter." Its author was Amin Eskandar. I asked him, "How did you get this book?"

He replied, "They forced us to buy it for half a dinar from the division headquarters." Then he insisted, "Flip through it, but keep your nerves under control!"

I turned the pages until I came across a family tree of Saddam. The name of Saddam and his family appeared at the top of a genealogy attributed to Ali (peace be upon him) ... What a tragedy! The attribution of Saddam Hussein to Amir al-Mu'menin? Truly ridiculous! I asked about the author. He said, "He is Amin Eskandar, an Egyptian Christian writer who specializes in Arab genealogy."

I was aware of mercenary magazines and newspapers which wrote extensively in praise of Saddam and his party, but I never imagined that a Christian individual would engage in fabricating history and commit such blatant distortion and slander. Dollars, after all, do their work on the mercenaries and hirelings who exist everywhere. I flipped through the book quickly and said to him: "Is there anyone who will respond to these lies and slanders?"

We spent a few moments in conversation. The regimental commander was in a state of deep depression and was utterly disgusted with the war and the government's actions. Seizing this opportunity, I proposed surrendering the regiment to the Islamic forces stationed on the opposite side. I said to him: "How long must we express dissatisfaction and attack the regime verbally? How long must this humiliation and degradation continue? We must take practical steps... Enough with the sloganeering.!"

Upon hearing these words, he was frozen on his chair. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He said, "What do you mean?"

I replied, "Wouldn't it be better for us to escape this predicament?"

He said, "How?"

I said, "The water supply in the Third Company's area has dried up, and the path to the Iranian forces is clear. It would be better if you summon all the regiment's officers under the pretext of an extraordinary meeting. Once they are assembled, we will arrest them and load them into one of the armored vehicles. Then we will hand them over to the Islamic forces."

He was deeply taken aback when he heard this and said, “What am I hearing? Are you serious?”

I said, “Yes. I will stand by your side until my very last breath.”

He said, “Doctor, who gave you permission to utter such words? What you are saying could cost you your life. Do not share this with anyone!”

I said, "No, by God, I am tired of verbal criticism and complaints. Your thoughts and situation encouraged me to raise this matter."

He said, "Doctor! I have a wife and children... Many people in the army think like you and are inwardly opposed to the regime, but bribery and threats compel them to remain loyal to the government."

First Lieutenant Kana’an

He was an officer serving as the deputy commander of a regiment and was a native of the town of Dour in Tikrit Province. Because many of Iraq’s military commanders and political leaders had come from this province, it was considered one of the country's most important regions.

Kana’an was related to Mohammad Mahjoub, the former Minister of Education, whom Saddam executed after coming to power on charges of plotting against him. First Lieutenant Kanaan regarded himself as an opponent of the regime and an enemy of Saddam. At the same time, he and his family enjoyed numerous privileges. Unlike us, who criticized the regime only in private, he openly criticized both the government and the war. In private gatherings, he would mock Saddam and Ezzat al-Douri, recounting stories about their disgraceful pasts. He also spoke to us about the tribal makeup of the government and the struggles among the tribes of Tikrit Province and the town of Dour for political power. Despite his hostile attitude toward the government, Kana’an held several important and influential positions at a state university. For example, in the summer of 1981, he and another officer were sent to London as representatives of the Iraqi Army to participate in a military training course. One may conclude that opponents who came from Tikrit and Dour were different from those who came from Najaf, Karbala, and Basra. Put more plainly, the first group consisted of family or insider opponents, whereas the second group were opponents of the regime itself. It is no coincidence that members of the latter group, despite their experience and competence, were sentenced to death, had their property confiscated, or were barred from holding key positions within the government apparatus. This reflects the regime’s tribal mentality and the ethnic and class discrimination that the Ba'athists had created. In this regard, one of my friends who taught in the city of Tikrit used to say: “The status of a shepherd from Tikrit is far superior to that of any high-ranking Ba'ath Party official living in central or southern Iraq.”

During the time I worked with him, Lieutenant Kana’an frequently expressed his dissatisfaction with the continuation of the war and criticized the regime ruling Iraq. Nevertheless, he carried out his military duties with complete dedication and seriousness. Although he devoted his utmost effort and energy to serving the army and supporting the war effort, Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Karim, the regiment commander, harbored a deep dislike for him because of tribal prejudices. As a result, he removed Kana’an from regimental headquarters and appointed him commander of the Second Company. In his place, he selected Lieutenant Mohammad Javad to serve as the regiment’s deputy commander.

To be continued …