IRAQI COMMANDER MEMOIRS ON MISSILES (9)

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06765370
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: November 20, 2018
• Case Number: F-2018-00293
• Publication Date: November 11, 1998

Approved for Release: 2018/10/09 C06765370
umau-kooiritu
Identifiers:
Document Number: FTS19981129000037
(b)(3)
Dates:
Date Posted: 11-Nov-1998 19:00:00
Coverage:
CIA Country Code: IRQ
Region: Near East/South Asia, Near East
Publisher:
Agency Acronym: DNI
Office Name: OSC
Phone Numbers:
Email Addresses:
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Attach
ents:
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Warnings: (U) This intelligence product may contain copyrighted material; authorized use is for
national security purposes of the United States Government only. Any reproduction,
dissemination, or use is subject to the OSC usage policy and the original copyright.
(U) Chapter IV [subtitle]
(U) The Battle of Hope and Honor (4) [subtitle]
(U) 9 February 1991 [subtitle]
(U) At 0355, the second battery fired a rocket at the Zionist entity.
(U) On the same day, I issued orders to the first special duty legion, which was in charge of the
camouflage routine, to use camouflage launchers with a view to setting up an ambush to kill or
catch infiltrators as they approached the camouflage launchers on the al-Qa'im-al-Ratbah axis.
(U) [The plan was executed on 12 February with the units coming under direct air attack from 12 to
15 February]
(U) 10 February 1991 [subtitle]
(U) No shooting on this day
(U) We sought clarifications from the operations department about the plan concerning roads and
bridges spanning the Tigris and Euphrates. I summoned the commander of the operational rocket
control center for a discussion of many points concerning the rocket units in the south.
UNCLASSIFIED
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U IN UL/AJ J iritu
(U) Shortly before midnight, we were alerted by the military movements directorate to the
approach of two helicopters to ward Kilometer 160 junction after which we directed that the units
take the necessary precautions.
(U) 11 February 1991 [subtitle]
(U) At 1955 the seventh battery fired a rocket at Tel Aviv and at 2220 the 15th battery fired another
rocket at enemy targets in Riyadh.
(U) At 0200 the following day, I evaluated the situation from the headquarters of the western
transportation region and discovered that the enemy had dropped vehicles and personnel in the H
region for which we took the necessary precautions.
(U) At noon that day the enemy bombarded the first rocket maintenance camp in al-Taji. They
directed another more powerful strike that, with God's mercy, did not cause much damage.
(U) It is a true battle that anyone who took part in could rightly and justifiably take pride. There you
have women and children and the elderly in the western region on the edge of the desert joining
forces with the Popular Army and al-Maghawir units as they stood firm against alien infiltrators and
forced their withdrawal and to boot killed a number of them. This time they arrived with vehicles
and personnel and two armored cars and a vehicle mounted with a 106-millimeter gun. The al-
Maghawir Brigade took on those remnants that took flight. The aim of the infiltrators was to
forestall or destroy the rocket launchers.
(U) The more intense the fire of the aggressors grew the stiffer our resistance became and so we
put our trust in the almighty God and fired the 13th rocket at the Zionist entity hitting important
sites in Tel Aviv. That was at 1955. We also fired a rocket at enemy targets in Riyadh, the 11th
such strike.
(U) The enemy helicopters were still looking either for their patrols that had lost their way in the
desert close to Kilometer 160 or for pilots whose planes had been downed.
(U) 12 February 1991 [subtitle]
(U) At 1425 the sixth battery fired a rocket at Tel Aviv, the 14th such strike against the Zionist
entity.
(U) On that day the enemy hit al-'Amiriyah shelter. Raising my hands overhead, I made this plea to
God the Almighty: "God, show mercy to the souls of our virtuous martyrs, women, children, and
the elderly, and whoever else has been martyred at al-'Amiriyah shelter. God, wreak vengeance
on the evil aggressors who have committed that heinous crime against defenseless civilians
including little children, who were sheltering at al-'Amiriyah shelter where 405 martyrs have fallen."
(U) I sensed that God the almighty had instilled in me added strength and that that painful sight
had prompted me to ask the commanders of the rocket brigades if it was possible to hit enemy
concentrations at Hafr al-Batin and Dimona in the Zionist entity. Their response was that they were
ready to hit those targets with as powerful a force as they could muster.
(U) I said at a loud voice: I thank God, the champion of the faithful.
(U) I sought the president's permission to order attacks at enemy targets in Dimona and Hafr al-
Batin to avenge the souls of our virtuous martyrs and his excellency granted that request.
(U) Thereupon I issued orders that American concentrations at Hafr al-Batin be hit with seven
rockets simultaneously. I set the coordinates and the time. I also directed that two rockets be fired
at Dimona. (more) 12 nov
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(U) 14 February 1991 [subtitle]
UNCLASSIFIED 2
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U IN UL/AJ J iritu
(U) We noticed that the newscasts of Radio Riyadh had taken to alerting enemy sectors as soon
as they had word that Iraqi missiles had been fired at Saudi territory.
(U) With that in mind, I made a smart trick; at 2350 sharp on that day I ordered that six rockets be
fired at enemy concentrations at Hafr al-Batin. That was a lucky hit. Our sectors spent the night in
Bustan and the rockets were fired in one salvo making for an impressive sight. The hit was timed
to coincide with the midday news bulletin of the Saudi Arabian radio, when the newsreader in the
studio was in the middle of reading out local items. He was noticed to have stammered and was
unable to sound the alert. Our 12th strike at targets on Saudi Arabian territory had proved a
complete success. The rocket attack was meant to avenge the Zionist strike at the Iraqi Tammuz
Nuclear Reactor and the children of the intifadah and the children who were killed in the bombing
of al-'Amiriyah Shelter by the murderous aggressors.
(U) 15 February 1991 [subtitle]
(U) At hearing the ululation of women and chants of young men as a token of their elation on the
road that led to west Baghdad, I was swept by a deep sense of joy, having realized that our people
were standing side by side with us as we went down the road of victory in the epic of glory and
pride. I had stopped at the roadside to admire the sight of a vehicle as it passed carrying a well-
camouflaged missile. The sight of that rocket had filled those young men and women with
enthusiasm, at which the name of the tune, "Palestine Shall remain Arab," that had ceased to be
played, crossed my mind. I directed my chauffeur to drop me at my home as soon as our work
was completed. A bodyguard of the president's had once asked me to see if I could call in a
translator from Hebrew to Arabic from the military intelligence headquarters so he could help in
translating some interesting things. When that translator failed to be provided I asked my driver to
go to my home so that I could bring back a number of books in Hebrew, a language of which I
knew a little, but these had failed to be found.
(U) Arriving home, I tried to find the books myself. At seeing me, my children ran toward me happy
to see me. I sensed that they were proud that their father was taking part in a glorious battle. I
hurried up to a room upstairs to search for the Hebrew books when I heard the sound of gunfire
from what seemed to be close quarters. It was followed by sharp screams that appeared to
emanate from inside our house. I hurried downstairs in some panic fearing that a member of my
family might have been hurt or something. In fact, it was my distraught wife beating her chest and
with the children standing about her. I asked her what that was all about. To which she said that
the neighbors were saying that Iraq had agreed to the terms of the withdrawal of the Iraqi troops
from Kuwait. My reaction was to smile and to ask them to tune in to Radio Baghdad first. Iraq has
its own conditions too; have no fear for our country, I added.
(U) What about Saddam? What about Saddam? they demanded to know.
(U) He is fine, I reassured them.
(U) Deeply moved and touched, I then said good-bye to my family and I was particularly touched
by the sight of the youngest child "Hajar" whom I realized was aware of what was going on. I
explained that reaction to myself as the enthusiasm of the youths and their rallying behind their
courageous president. I was particularly impressed by their fear for the safety of their leader
Saddam Husayn. Taking my seat in the car, I waved good-bye to my family members and we
smiled at each other in a meaningful way.
(U) We menfolk do the thinking and analyzing without our fears showing on our faces, but the
outburst of emotion that shown clearly on the faces of my family members was a sort of barometer
of the extent of love and affection in which they held their nation and their leader. I was deeply
impressed and moved by that sight and I have, since then, recounted that episode to them
whenever I felt there was a need for me to boost their morale.
UNCLASSIFIED 3
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U IN l, L/AJ Jiritu
(b)(3)
(U) Iraqi Commander Memoirs on Missiles (8)
- FTS19981126000082
Collection: FB
Creator:
#1
Agency Acronym: DNI
Office Name: OSC
Phone Numbers:
Email Addresses _
#2
Compilation Title: Al-'Arab Al-Yawm
-
- - - -
(b)(3)
Description: (U) Chapter IV [subtitle]The Battle of Hope and Honor (4) [subtitle]9 February 1991
[subtitle]At 0355, the second battery fired a rocket at the Zionist entity.On the same day, I issued
orders to the first special duty legion, which was in charge of the camou
Language: en
Precedence: R
Source:
Publisher Type: open-source
Sourced Text: null
Language: ara
Source ID: 3794972
Source Type: Undetermined
City: Amman
Compilation Title: Al-'Arab Al-Yawm
Originating System: OSC
Subject: MILITARY
UNCLASSIFIED 4
Approved for Release: 2018/10/09 C06765370