Saddam’s Terror | National Geographic

in addition to using these weapons

in addition to using these weapons against Iran Saddam also decides to use

against Iran Saddam also decides to use

against Iran Saddam also decides to use them against the Kurds his own citizens

them against the Kurds his own citizens

them against the Kurds his own citizens living in the mountains of northern Iraq

Saddam considers the Kurds his enemies

Saddam considers the Kurds his enemies their goal is to be granted independence

their goal is to be granted independence

their goal is to be granted independence from his country the Kurds have their

from his country the Kurds have their

from his country the Kurds have their own political parties and their own

own political parties and their own

own political parties and their own militia the Peshmerga

in 1987 Saddam appoints his cousin Ali

in 1987 Saddam appoints his cousin Ali Hassan al-majid

Hassan al-majid

Hassan al-majid to execute a military campaign called

to execute a military campaign called

to execute a military campaign called the unfollow on fall is Arabic for the

the unfollow on fall is Arabic for the

the unfollow on fall is Arabic for the spoils the term refers to a book in the

spoils the term refers to a book in the

spoils the term refers to a book in the Quran that proclaims the spoils of war

Quran that proclaims the spoils of war

Quran that proclaims the spoils of war belonged to Allah and his messengers in

belonged to Allah and his messengers in

belonged to Allah and his messengers in an audio tape ali hassan al-majid

an audio tape ali hassan al-majid

an audio tape ali hassan al-majid discusses his plans for the kurds with

discusses his plans for the kurds with

discusses his plans for the kurds with fellow officers in northern iraq

a year later in February 1988 the Iraqi

a year later in February 1988 the Iraqi army begins the on fall campaign Saddam

army begins the on fall campaign Saddam

army begins the on fall campaign Saddam believes it will solve his Kurdish

believes it will solve his Kurdish

believes it will solve his Kurdish problem for the next six months al Majid

problem for the next six months al Majid

problem for the next six months al Majid orders the Iraqi Air Force to drop

orders the Iraqi Air Force to drop

orders the Iraqi Air Force to drop mustard gas and nerve agents on the

mustard gas and nerve agents on the

mustard gas and nerve agents on the civilian population for this he becomes

civilian population for this he becomes

civilian population for this he becomes known among Iraqis as chemical Ali

these people show the visible signs of

these people show the visible signs of mustard gas skin burns and blistering

many suffer temporary or permanent

many suffer temporary or permanent blindness internally the gas damages the

blindness internally the gas damages the

blindness internally the gas damages the respiratory tract bringing a slow and

respiratory tract bringing a slow and

respiratory tract bringing a slow and painful death Saddam also used nerve

painful death Saddam also used nerve

painful death Saddam also used nerve agents such as sarin it causes a wide

agents such as sarin it causes a wide

agents such as sarin it causes a wide range of symptoms including convulsions

range of symptoms including convulsions

range of symptoms including convulsions vomiting and death during the campaign

vomiting and death during the campaign

vomiting and death during the campaign the chemicals drive the Kurds away from

the chemicals drive the Kurds away from

the chemicals drive the Kurds away from their villages once out in the open the

their villages once out in the open the

their villages once out in the open the Iraqi military captures them and takes

Iraqi military captures them and takes

Iraqi military captures them and takes them to prison camps hundreds of

them to prison camps hundreds of

them to prison camps hundreds of thousands of Kurds are carted away the

thousands of Kurds are carted away the

thousands of Kurds are carted away the army bulldozes their villages to ensure

army bulldozes their villages to ensure

army bulldozes their villages to ensure that they cannot return and they went in

that they cannot return and they went in

that they cannot return and they went in and removed thousands and thousands of

and removed thousands and thousands of

and removed thousands and thousands of people bulldoze the entire villages

people bulldoze the entire villages

people bulldoze the entire villages mosques houses farms rape the land kill

mosques houses farms rape the land kill

mosques houses farms rape the land kill the animals strip the area of crops and

the animals strip the area of crops and

the animals strip the area of crops and remove the entire population from that

remove the entire population from that

remove the entire population from that area when they come in this village they

area when they come in this village they

area when they come in this village they killed the old women and old men and

killed the old women and old men and

killed the old women and old men and they took the young girls and they steal

they took the young girls and they steal

they took the young girls and they steal everything and they what they do they

everything and they what they do they

everything and they what they do they damage the village all of them they

damage the village all of them they

damage the village all of them they don’t live nothing they don’t live the

don’t live nothing they don’t live the

don’t live nothing they don’t live the animal – they kill the animal