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Adnan Khayr Allah

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Adnan Khayr Allah was a high-ranking military officer in Iraq. He held several powerful positions within the Iraqi government. He was also a relative of President Saddam Hussein. Specifically, Adnan was Saddam Hussein's cousin and his brother-in-law. He served as the Minister of Defence for ten years. He also held a seat on the Revolutionary Command Council. This council was the primary group that made decisions for Iraq.

Adnan Khairallah with Saddam
Adnan Khairallah with Saddam

Adnan's career involved many different roles in the military and government. He joined the Iraqi branch of the Ba'ath Party in 1956. In 1959, he was arrested after a failed attempt by the party to assassinate Prime Minister Abd al-Karim Qasim. Later, he helped the Ba'ath Party take power during the coups of 1963 and 1968. By 1977, he was appointed Minister of Defence. He also became the Minister of State. In 1979, shortly after Saddam Hussein became President, Adnan was appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

As a military leader, Adnan had a very important job. He served as the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. This rank made him the second most powerful person in the military, following only Saddam Hussein. During the Iran-Iraq War, he worked to rebuild the military. He focused on modernizing the Iraqi armed forces. Adnan also used his position to connect with the public. He traveled to meet people from many different sects and denominations. For example, a Jewish doctor named Eliyahu served in the army during this time.

Adnan's personal life was closely tied to the ruling family. He was born in Tikrit in 1940. His father was Khairallah Talfah, an Arab nationalist officer. Khairallah Talfah was also the maternal uncle of Saddam Hussein. Adnan was highly educated in both military and civil matters. He attended the Baghdad Military College and the Staff College. He also graduated from the Baghdad University School of Law and Politics in 1975. Since he was fourteen, he kept a large archive of photographs. These photos documented the development of Iraqi cities and his family.

In November 1988, a serious conflict arose within the family. Saddam Hussein's eldest child, Uday Hussein, was arrested. This happened after Uday was accused of killing a presidential bodyguard named Kamel Hana Gegeo. This event caused a major rift between family members. Adnan's sister, Sajida, asked Adnan for help during this crisis. Following this, Adnan disappeared from public view for a period. This disappearance led to rumors of unrest in the army. Some people even speculated that Adnan was involved in a potential coup attempt.

Adnan eventually returned to his duties in early 1989. Video footage showed him on a fishing holiday near Basra with Saddam and Sajida. However, his life ended shortly after his return to public life. On May 4, 1989, Adnan died in a helicopter crash. He was flying from Baghdad to the Kurdistan region to inspect army positions. His flight was diverted to the Sarsang mountain resort near Dohuk. While flying, his helicopter and two escorting helicopters encountered a sandstorm.

Adnan Khairallah
Adnan Khairallah

While the official report called the crash an accident, there were many questions. Some people believed the crash was caused by the detonation of four explosive charges. Author Con Coughlin noted that Saddam's son-in-law, Hussein Kamel al-Majid, admitted to helping orchestrate the death. Despite the controversy, Adnan was a popular figure. After his death, Baghdad Radio announced a state funeral in his hometown of Tikrit. A statue of Adnan was also built in Baghdad. This statue remained in the al-Karkh area even after the fall of Baghdad in 2003. It was finally removed in 2009 after people reevaluated his actions.

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File:Adnan Khairallah with Saddam.jpg
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File:Adnan Khairallah.jpg
Adnan Khairallah.jpg
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