Allegiance Iraq | Name Mizban al-Hadi | |
Battles/wars 2003 invasion of Iraq
Najaf
Samawah Battles and wars Battle of Najaf, Battle of Samawah, 2003 invasion of Iraq | ||
Mizban Khadr al-Hadi (Arabic: مزبان خضر الهادي) was a General and politician in Ba'athist Iraq. He served as a member of the Revolutionary Command Council from 1991 to 2001.
Hadi was born in 1938 in Mandali District, in what is now Diyala Province. Hadi was extremely close to Saddam Hussein, serving as a key advisor since the early 1980s, particularly on Shiite affairs. He was made a Minister without portfolio in June 1982, and before that served as Governor of Najaf.
Hadi was decorated by Saddam Hussein for his role in both the Gulf War and the subsequent 1991 uprisings in Iraq. Due to his close links to Saddam Hussein, Hadi was elevated in March 2003 to command the central Euphrates region; one of Iraq's four military regions, as part of an attempt by Saddam Hussein to delegate command and strengthen Iraqi defenses against the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Hadi was no. 23 on the Iraqi playing cards.
Hadi was reported to have had been arrested by US Forces in Baghdad on 1 May 2003. CENTCOM later claimed that Hadi was arrested on 8 July 2003 after turning himself in to Coalition forces in Baghdad.