Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 35

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

2026-6-21

Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 35

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.

***

Summer Events

During those three months of that hot and sweltering summer, both small and large events took place in that part of the front, some of which I will briefly mention here.

The summer of 1981 amounted to a period of rest for the Iranian forces stationed at our brigade's location. The main combat activities were limited to mutual exchanges of fire, combat-reconnaissance patrol operations, and setting up ambushes. Although the Iranian side had taken on a state of lethargy and relaxation, our forces, after implementing all defensive measures, remained on full alert.

Our regiment had concentrated its activities on dispatching combat-reconnaissance patrol groups, setting up nighttime ambushes in the restricted area around the village of "Kooheh"—which overlooked our positions—and conducting artillery strikes against Iranian forces' positions. I should add that six 122mm artillery pieces provided cover for our regiment and fired on Iranian positions throughout the day. The Iranian forces' activities, however, were limited to continuous mortar fire, sporadic heavy artillery shelling, and sniper operations. The mobile medical unit was located two hundred meters behind the regiment's headquarters.

I would wake up early in the morning, and after some morning exercise and bathing, I would tend to the regiment's sick personnel. Then I would have breakfast alongside the regiment's deputy commander. I would return to the mobile unit and sit waiting for patients or wounded personnel to arrive. I usually had lunch with the deputy commander and dinner with the regiment commander. On some days, when the artillery barrages ceased, I would visit the frontline companies and observe the restricted area through binoculars.

Lieutenant Colonel "Abd-al Karim Hamoud," the commander of our regiment, regularly socialized and interacted with the division and brigade commanders, and this had led to an improvement in our regiment's situation. It was not without reason that we were exempted from participating in many combat operations. Here, I will mention some of the incidents and events that I witnessed and observed:

1. Banquets

The stabilization of our unit's position and the Iranians' lack of intention to launch an attack—due to their internal political conditions—had brought about relative security and calm in the area. On this occasion, the regiment commander arranged magnificent banquets and invited the division and brigade commanders, as well as high-ranking officers from other units stationed near us, to attend these banquets. We held a feast every two weeks. Of course, the regiment commander did not spend a single cent from his own pocket; rather, the expenses of these banquets were covered at the expense of the poor soldiers. This was because our regiment had a mobile canteen, the profits of which went directly to the regiment's budget, which was under the commander's control. Thus, money and a skilled cook were available, and Sergeant "Abd Khalaf" had a particular talent for preparing dishes, especially roasted lamb. It should be mentioned that they bought the lambs at a very low price—five dinars—from the Arab villagers residing around the town of Hoveizeh. With that in mind, all the preparations for the banquet were in place. All that remained were the open mouths, and those were beyond count.

One day, due to the sheer number of these banquets, I complained to the regiment commander. He replied with a smile: "Doctor! Apparently, you still don't know how to live in the army. We have a pressing need for these banquets because they solve our problems and fulfill our needs—that is, they strengthen friendly relations with commanders and high-ranking officers. By establishing these relationships, we benefit from them without having to pay a price."

I asked: "What is the benefit of that?"

He answered: "The least benefit is that our regiment is exempted from participating in difficult missions, enjoys secure defensive positions, and above all, its needs are met."

As time passed, the correctness of the regiment commander's theory was proven, and we were exempted from participating in difficult missions.

2. Jaysh al-Sha'bi (Popular Army)

These were the same popular forces that were established by the Ba'athists in the 1970s, whose primary function was summed up in preserving the existence of the ruling regime. At the beginning of the war, these forces were deployed in the border areas, behind the military units stationed along the front lines, especially at the Iranian border outposts. In early June 1981, a number of these forces actively participated in the front lines for a limited period. The first group of Jaysh al-Sha'bi forces came from the "Al Badir" area and arrived at our regiment's position at the beginning of that month, under the command of a high school principal. This group consisted of students, teachers, and professors. Since Jaysh al-Sha'bi was a collection of civilians who had received only superficial and intensive training in the use of light weapons, they were at a very low level in terms of combat capability. Moreover, military personnel regarded them as the armed wing of the Party and looked upon them with disdain. These factors meant that Jaysh al-Sha'bi did not possess significant combat effectiveness nor adequate combat experience. As a result, their forces suffered heavy damages during operations.

The Jaysh al-Sha'bi forces from the "Al Badir" area numbered 150 men. Our regiment commander stationed them at the most dangerous point on the front, which was within range of Iranian artillery and sniper units around the clock. For this reason, every day during the construction of fortifications, two or three of them were killed and several others sustained severe injuries. This was while, over the previous two months, not even a single soldier from our regiment had been killed. During their one-week stay at the front, they caused many problems for us. For example, one night, when the first company came under light shelling from an Iranian combat-reconnaissance patrol, the Jaysh al-Sha'bi men fled from the front line, but they were caught behind the first company's positions and, amid the mockery and laughter of the regiment's personnel, were sent back to the front line.

The truth is that the Jaysh al-Sha'bi men were innocent civilians whom the regime brought to the front solely to keep the flames of war burning; otherwise, there was no logic in having an inexperienced civilian participate in a war between two equipped armies.

3. The Artistic Troupe

At dawn in late July 1981, the regiment's deputy commander, Captain "Mohammad Jawad," asked me to notify all personnel of the mobile medical unit of the necessity of cleanliness, shaving, and wearing cologne. Surprised by this request, I asked: "Are you kidding?"

He replied: "No. This is a military order issued by the brigade commander."

I said: "Alright... what is this about?"

He said: "A delegation of male and female artists, including the famous singer 'Mi Akram' and the actress 'Shadhi Salim,' will be arriving in our area."

I asked in astonishment: "What are they coming here for?"

He said: "To put on an entertainment program for us."

I summoned the personnel of the mobile unit and shared the matter with them. Those poor souls, who were dumbfounded upon hearing this, put on clean clothes, shaved their beards, and perfumed themselves. I began my daily routine as usual. What real benefit was there for us in the arrival of a group of so-called artists—actually debaucherous people—whom the Ba'athist regime had hired to mock the suffering of oppressed people? I don't know, but thousands of soldiers, waiting for the arrival of an artistic troupe, forgot about the front and death. When I looked at the faces of the regiment's personnel, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at their state.

All those waiting kept their eyes peeled until the afternoon, but they heard no news of the troupe's arrival. I went to the deputy commander's bunker for dinner. I told him: "Contact the brigade commander and ask him when the troupe will arrive."

The deputy commander mustered his courage and contacted Major "Thamer al-Azizi," the political indoctrination officer at the brigade headquarters, about the matter. He casually said: "The troupe performed a program at the division field headquarters and returned to Basra."

Lieutenant "Mohammad Javad" informed the regiment's personnel to stand down from alert and relax, because the troupe had left and would not be coming after all. Later on, we found out that the troupe had put on a dance and singing performance at the Fifth Division's field headquarters, located 25 kilometers behind the front, in the presence of officers and commanders. Apparently, at the end of the program, a lavish table was also laid out, and a press report was prepared and the news was published in the propaganda media. The report stated that the artists had visited the front lines and honored the combatants with their presence!

To be continued ...