Free Officers and Civilians Movement
Encyclopedia
The Free Officers and Civilians Movement was an Iraqi opposition
movement that campaigned against President Saddam Hussein
.
It was formed in 1996 from defected Iraqi army officers and led by former Brigadier General Najib al-Salihi. The Movement claimed it could raise 30,000 fighters. Although al-Salihi is a Sunni Arab, he is from the Albu Salih
tribe that encompasses Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs and Turkmen
, so claimed to have support from all three groups.
After the 2003 invasion of Iraq
, the Movement returned to Iraq. It contested the Iraqi legislative election, January 2005
where it received 6,372 votes.
Iraqi opposition
The Iraqi opposition can refer to three things:* Pre-2003: Iraqi anti-Saddam groups were composed of a number of groups in Iraq opposed to the Saddam regime....
movement that campaigned against President Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
.
It was formed in 1996 from defected Iraqi army officers and led by former Brigadier General Najib al-Salihi. The Movement claimed it could raise 30,000 fighters. Although al-Salihi is a Sunni Arab, he is from the Albu Salih
Albu Salih
The Albu Salih tribe is an original Arabic tribe that descends from the Shammar tribe, through the Al Aslam tribe. They are located in Iraq and are concentrated in Al'Aslah , a village in the city of Nasiriyah; they can also be found in Amarah, AlBasra, and Al Diwaniyah.The population of this...
tribe that encompasses Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs and Turkmen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
, so claimed to have support from all three groups.
After the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, the Movement returned to Iraq. It contested the Iraqi legislative election, January 2005
Iraqi legislative election, January 2005
Elections for the National Assembly of Iraq were held on January 30, 2005 in Iraq. The 275-member National Assembly was a parliament created under the Transitional Law during the Occupation of Iraq...
where it received 6,372 votes.