Ammar al-Saffar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1956 |
| Died | after November 19, 2006 |
| Occupation | Deputy Health Minister |
| Employer | Government of Iraq |
| Known for | Forced disappearance and likely murder |
Ammar al-Saffar (born 1956) was the Deputy Health Minister of Iraq from 2003 until his kidnapping and likely death in 2006. [1] On November 19, 2006, he became the highest-ranking Iraqi official to be kidnapped when he was seized by men in police uniforms. [2]
Career
Since 2003, al-Saffa, a Shiite and member of the Islamic Dawa Party [3] worked as the Deputy Health Minister of Iraq, serving under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and was noted for his open criticism of former President Saddam Hussein. [4] In 2004, he spoke to Al Jazeera about medicine that had been looted from the Ministry of Health, and about quality control weaknesses under the previous Hussein administration. [5]
His son, writing in Foreign Policy in 2010, reported that al-Saffa was on the brink of exposing evidence of Hussein and fellow deputy minister Hakim al-Zamili diverting funds for health towards armed militias. [6]
Assassination attempts and abduction
There was an attempts on al-Saffa's life in June 2004. [7] [1] On November 19, 2006, al-Saffa was abducted from his Baghdad home, at gun point, by men in Iraqi army uniforms. [7] [3] He was aged 50 at the time of the abduction. [1]
In February 2007, Hakim al-Zamili, and General Hamid al-Shammari, were both arrested on suspicion they had played a role in al-Saffa's and other kidnappings. However, the charges were dropped in March 2008. As of 2008 [update], Saffar remains missing. [7] Saffar's son Ali said a tape was sent to his family showing a hooded figure, ostensibly al-Saffa, being shot, but no body has ever been recovered. Al-Saffar was later declared legally dead in the United Kingdom, where his wife lives. [8]
Personal life
Al-Saffar spent 16 years living in exile in the United Kingdom until he returned to his home country following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. [9] [7]
His son, Ali, [6] lives in London, England. [7]
Post death
By 2013, al-Saffa's family considered him deceased and reported feeling no closure. [10]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Graves, Neil (2006-11-20). "Baghdad Minister Grabbed". New York Post. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
- ^ "Iraqi health minister kidnapped; 4 Americans still held hostage - USATODAY.com". usatoday30.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
- ^ a b Semple, Kirk (2006-11-19). "Syrian Official, in Iraq, Offers Assistance". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ^ Gordon, M. R., Trainor, B. E. (2013). The Endgame: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Iraq, from George W. Bush to Barack Obama. United States: Vintage Books.
- ^ "وزارة الصحة العراقية تسعى لتكون نموذجا لنجاح نقل السلطة". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ^ a b al-Saffar, Ali (4 March 2010). "Iraq's Elected Criminals". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ^ a b c d e McKenzie, Steven (2008-04-17). "'Dad went back to Iraq to help'". BBC News. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
- ^ Years later, kidnapped Iraqi's family finds no closure Archived 2017-09-03 at the Wayback Machine Prashant Rao, AFP, 12 Dec 2013.
- ^ "Gunmen Snatch Iraqi Deputy Minister". Sky News. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
- ^ "Years Later, Kidnapped Iraqi's Family Finds No Closure". Naharnet. December 12, 2013. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
Ammar al-Saffar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1956 |
| Died | after November 19, 2006 |
| Occupation | Deputy Health Minister |
| Employer | Government of Iraq |
| Known for | Forced disappearance and likely murder |
Ammar al-Saffar (born 1956) was the Deputy Health Minister of Iraq from 2003 until his kidnapping and likely death in 2006. [1] On November 19, 2006, he became the highest-ranking Iraqi official to be kidnapped when he was seized by men in police uniforms. [2]
Career
Since 2003, al-Saffa, a Shiite and member of the Islamic Dawa Party [3] worked as the Deputy Health Minister of Iraq, serving under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and was noted for his open criticism of former President Saddam Hussein. [4] In 2004, he spoke to Al Jazeera about medicine that had been looted from the Ministry of Health, and about quality control weaknesses under the previous Hussein administration. [5]
His son, writing in Foreign Policy in 2010, reported that al-Saffa was on the brink of exposing evidence of Hussein and fellow deputy minister Hakim al-Zamili diverting funds for health towards armed militias. [6]
Assassination attempts and abduction
There was an attempts on al-Saffa's life in June 2004. [7] [1] On November 19, 2006, al-Saffa was abducted from his Baghdad home, at gun point, by men in Iraqi army uniforms. [7] [3] He was aged 50 at the time of the abduction. [1]
In February 2007, Hakim al-Zamili, and General Hamid al-Shammari, were both arrested on suspicion they had played a role in al-Saffa's and other kidnappings. However, the charges were dropped in March 2008. As of 2008 [update], Saffar remains missing. [7] Saffar's son Ali said a tape was sent to his family showing a hooded figure, ostensibly al-Saffa, being shot, but no body has ever been recovered. Al-Saffar was later declared legally dead in the United Kingdom, where his wife lives. [8]
Personal life
Al-Saffar spent 16 years living in exile in the United Kingdom until he returned to his home country following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. [9] [7]
His son, Ali, [6] lives in London, England. [7]
Post death
By 2013, al-Saffa's family considered him deceased and reported feeling no closure. [10]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Graves, Neil (2006-11-20). "Baghdad Minister Grabbed". New York Post. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
- ^ "Iraqi health minister kidnapped; 4 Americans still held hostage - USATODAY.com". usatoday30.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
- ^ a b Semple, Kirk (2006-11-19). "Syrian Official, in Iraq, Offers Assistance". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ^ Gordon, M. R., Trainor, B. E. (2013). The Endgame: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Iraq, from George W. Bush to Barack Obama. United States: Vintage Books.
- ^ "وزارة الصحة العراقية تسعى لتكون نموذجا لنجاح نقل السلطة". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ^ a b al-Saffar, Ali (4 March 2010). "Iraq's Elected Criminals". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ^ a b c d e McKenzie, Steven (2008-04-17). "'Dad went back to Iraq to help'". BBC News. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
- ^ Years later, kidnapped Iraqi's family finds no closure Archived 2017-09-03 at the Wayback Machine Prashant Rao, AFP, 12 Dec 2013.
- ^ "Gunmen Snatch Iraqi Deputy Minister". Sky News. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
- ^ "Years Later, Kidnapped Iraqi's Family Finds No Closure". Naharnet. December 12, 2013. Retrieved 2022-07-21.