Sajida Talfah: Difference between revisions

Sajida Talfah
Sajida Talfah
	Sajida Talfah, mid-late 1980s
Born	Sajida Khairallah Talfah; 1937 (age 86–87); Tikrit, Iraq
Nationality	Iraqi
Other names	Sajida Hussein
Occupation	Teacher
Spouse	Saddam Hussein (m. 1958; died 2006)
Children	Uday Hussein (1964–2003; deceased) ; Qusay Hussein (1966–2003; deceased) ; Raghad Hussein (b. 1968) ; Rana Hussein (b. 1969) ; Hala Hussein (b. 1972)
Parent(s)	Khairallah Talfah; Lilo Wahib
Relatives	Adnan Khairallah (brother)

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Revision as of 09:41, 12 July 2024

Sajida Khairallah Talfah^[1] (Arabic: ساجدة خير الله طلفاح, romanized: Sājidah Khayr Allāh Ṭilfāḥ; born c. 1937)^[2] is the widow of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein,^[3] and mother of two sons (Uday and Qusay) and three daughters (Raghad, Rana, and Hala) with him.^[4] She is the oldest daughter of Khairallah Talfah, her husband's maternal uncle.

Wife of Saddam Hussein

Sajida and Saddam had five children together. Their marriage was arranged when they were children. She was said to have been 2 years older than him. They met when Saddam was about 21 years old.^[5]

In 1964, their first son Uday was born followed by Qusay in 1966. In 1968 their first daughter Raghad was born, followed by Rana in 1969, and finally their youngest daughter Hala in 1972.^{[citation needed]}

In 1986, Saddam married another woman, Samira Shahbandar, while still married to Sajida. Sajida was enraged, and Uday Hussein, son of Saddam and Sajida, was also angry over his father's new wife. Uday took it as an insult to his mother and also believed that his inheritance was endangered by Saddam taking a new wife. In October 1988, at a party thrown in the honor of Suzanne Mubarak, the wife of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Uday beat and stabbed Kamel Hana Gegeo to death. Uday believed that it was Kamel who had introduced Saddam and Samira, and that he had arranged their meetings. Although her husband married another woman, Sajida and Saddam never divorced.^{[citation needed]}

Sajida hardly ever appeared in public with her husband, so for many years her existence was little known to the Iraqi people. However, when rumors surfaced that Saddam had married another woman, and that his family life was now strained, more pictures and videos appeared in the Iraqi media of Saddam and Sajida, as well as them with their children. These pictures and videos were intended to make it seem as if Saddam's family life was not strained^{[citation needed]}

Sajida, along with many members of her family, fled^[6] Iraq in 1990 because of the Persian Gulf War, leaving Iraq before the bombings began. There are many different reports on where the Hussein family settled, but a possible location is Switzerland. The Hussein family returned to Iraq after the war was over.^{[citation needed]}

Post-invasion and disappearance

Sajida is believed to have fled to Qatar hours before the bombing of Baghdad began on 20 March 2003. Her youngest daughter Hala is believed to have gone with her, while Raghad and Rana Hussein fled to neighbouring Jordan.^{[citation needed]}

In July 2004, she hired a multilingual and multi-national defence team of some 20 lawyers to defend her husband during his trial for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other offences. However, on August 8, 2005, Saddam's family announced that they had dissolved the Jordan-based legal team and that they had appointed Khalil al-Duleimi, the only Iraq-based member, as sole legal counsel.^{[citation needed]}

On July 2, 2006, Iraq national security advisor Muwaffaq al-Rubaie announced that Sajida and her daughter Raghad are placed 16th and 17th on the Iraqi government's most wanted list for financing Sunni Muslim insurgents under Saddam's reign.^{[citation needed]}

It is also believed that Sajida and her daughter Raghad have been funding the insurgency in Iraq with money they took with them as they fled the country. The lawyer leading Saddam's defence team stated that "the charges against Raghad and Sajida are baseless" and that Sajida "lives in her house in Qatar alone and has no contact with anyone, not even the lawyers". He also stated that Sajida "is undergoing medical treatment". ^{[citation needed]}

In 2015, Sajida's family denied rumors that she had died.^{[citation needed]}

In popular culture

She was played by Shohreh Aghdashloo in the BBC adaptation House of Saddam in 2008, in which her character played a major role.

References

^ Iraq sculpture destroyed by fire. BBC. 4 April 2008
^ Martha Sherrill (1991-01-25). "BRIDE OF SADDAM". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
^ Dimuro, Gina (2018-06-14). "The Mysterious Fate Of Saddam Hussein's First Wife And Cousin". All That's Interesting. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
^ No UK asylum for Saddam's family. BBC. 5 June 2003
^ Martha Sherrill (1991-01-25). "BRIDE OF SADDAM". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
^ "Saddam's party: What's left today". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-02-02.

External links

"U.S. officials: Saddam's wife believed to have left Iraq". USA Today. April 14, 2003.
Sajida Talfah's wife fled Iraq

[1] Iraq sculpture destroyed by fire. BBC. 4 April 2008

[2] Martha Sherrill (1991-01-25). "BRIDE OF SADDAM". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.

[3] Dimuro, Gina (2018-06-14). "The Mysterious Fate Of Saddam Hussein's First Wife And Cousin". All That's Interesting. Retrieved 2021-01-30.

[4] No UK asylum for Saddam's family. BBC. 5 June 2003

[5] Martha Sherrill (1991-01-25). "BRIDE OF SADDAM". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.

[6] "Saddam's party: What's left today". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-02-02.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|First wife of Saddam Hussein}}
 {{BLP sources|date=November 2009}}
 {{Infobox person
-|name          = Sajida Talfah
+| name               = Sajida Talfah
-|image         = Sajida Talfah (first wife of Saddam Hussein).jpg
+| image              = Sajida Talfah (first wife of Saddam Hussein).jpg
-|image_size    =
+| image_size         =
-|caption       = Sajida Talfah, mid-late 1980s
+| caption            = Sajida Talfah, mid-late 1980s
-|birth_name    = Sajida Khairallah Talfah
+| birth_name         = Sajida Khairallah Talfah
-|birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1937|6|24}}
+| birth_date         = {{Birth year and age|1937}}
-|birth_place   = [[Tikrit]], [[Kingdom of Iraq|Iraq]]
+| birth_place        = [[Tikrit]], [[Kingdom of Iraq|Iraq]]
-|resting_place =
+| resting_place      =
-|resting_place_coordinates =
+| resting_place_coordinates =
+| nationality        = [[Iraqi people|Iraqi]]
-|residence     =
+| other_names        = Sajida Hussein
-|nationality   = [[Iraqi people|Iraqi]]
+| known_for          =
-|other_names   = Sajida Hussein
+| education          =
-|known_for     = Wife and cousin of [[Saddam Hussein]]
-|education     =
+| alma_mater         =
-|alma_mater    =
+| employer           =
-|employer      =
+| occupation         = Teacher
+| title              =
-|occupation    = Teacher, Former First Lady of Iraq
-|home_town     =
+| networth           =
-|title         =
+| height             =
-|salary        =
+| term               =
-|networth      =
+| predecessor        =
-|height        =
+| successor          =
-|weight        =
+| party              =
-|term          =
+| boards             =
+| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Saddam Hussein]]|1958|2006|end=d.}}
-|predecessor   =
-|successor     =
+| partner            =
+| children           = [[Uday Hussein]] (1964–2003; deceased) <br /> [[Qusay Hussein]] (1966–2003; deceased) <br /> [[Raghad Hussein]] (b. 1968) <br /> [[Rana Hussein]] (b. 1969) <br /> [[Hala Hussein]] (b. 1972)
-|party         =
+| parents            = [[Khairallah Talfah]]<br />Lilo Wahib
-|boards        =
+| relatives          = [[Adnan Khairallah]] (brother)
-|spouse        = {{marriage|Saddam Hussein|1958|2006|end=d.}}
-|partner       =
+| signature          =
+| website            =
-|children      = [[Uday Hussein]] (1964–2003; deceased) <br /> [[Qusay Hussein]] (1966–2003; deceased) <br /> [[Raghad Hussein]] (b. 1968) <br /> [[Rana Hussein]] (b. 1969) <br /> [[Hala Hussein]] (b. 1972)
-|parents       = [[Khairallah Talfah]] (father)
+| footnotes          =
-|relatives     = [[Adnan Khairallah]] (brother) <br />  Ilham Khairallah
-|signature     =
-|website       =
-|footnotes     =
 }}
-'''Sajida Khairallah Talfah'''<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7329823.stm Iraq sculpture destroyed by fire]. BBC. 4 April 2008</ref> ({{lang-ar|ساجدة خيرالله طلفاح}}) (born June 24, 1937) is the widow and cousin of former [[Iraq]]i President [[Saddam Hussein]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dimuro|first=Gina|date=2018-06-14|title=The Mysterious Fate Of Saddam Hussein's First Wife And Cousin|url=https://allthatsinteresting.com/sajida-talfah|access-date=2021-01-30|website=All That's Interesting|language=en-US}}</ref> and mother of two sons ([[Uday Hussein|Uday]] and [[Qusay Hussein|Qusay]]) and three daughters ([[Raghad Hussein|Raghad]], [[Rana Hussein|Rana]], and [[Hala Hussein|Hala]]).<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2965538.stm No UK asylum for Saddam's family]. BBC. 5 June 2003</ref> She is the oldest daughter of [[Khairallah Talfah]], her husband's maternal uncle.
+'''Sajida Khairallah Talfah'''<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7329823.stm Iraq sculpture destroyed by fire]. BBC. 4 April 2008</ref> ({{lang-ar|ساجدة خير الله طلفاح|Sājidah Khayr Allāh Ṭilfāḥ}}; born c. 1937)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1991/01/25/bride-of-saddam/2ab1c05d-7381-40d1-8208-162bcf2b6a8a/ |title=BRIDE OF SADDAM |date=1991-01-25 |author1=Martha Sherrill |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}}</ref> is the widow of former [[Iraq]]i President [[Saddam Hussein]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dimuro|first=Gina|date=2018-06-14|title=The Mysterious Fate Of Saddam Hussein's First Wife And Cousin|url=https://allthatsinteresting.com/sajida-talfah|access-date=2021-01-30|website=All That's Interesting|language=en-US}}</ref> and mother of two sons ([[Uday Hussein|Uday]] and [[Qusay Hussein|Qusay]]) and three daughters ([[Raghad Hussein|Raghad]], [[Rana Hussein|Rana]], and [[Hala Hussein|Hala]]) with him.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2965538.stm No UK asylum for Saddam's family]. BBC. 5 June 2003</ref> She is the oldest daughter of [[Khairallah Talfah]], her husband's maternal uncle.
-As wife of Saddam Hussein, she was also the first lady of Iraq.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Saddam Hussein's wife, saddening story on the mystery she underwent in her Marriage with Saddam - Opera News|url=https://ke.opera.news/ke/en/politics/19f4915deb854fa8b070aeddafbe3ff9|access-date=2021-01-30|website=ke.opera.news}}</ref>
 ==Wife of Saddam Hussein==
+Sajida and Saddam had five children together. Their marriage was arranged when they were children. She was said to have been 2 years older than him. They met when Saddam was about 21 years old.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1991/01/25/bride-of-saddam/2ab1c05d-7381-40d1-8208-162bcf2b6a8a/ |title=BRIDE OF SADDAM |date=1991-01-25 |author1=Martha Sherrill |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}}</ref>
-Sajida and her cousin Saddam had five children together. In 1964, their first son Uday was born followed by Qusay in 1966. In 1968 their first daughter Raghad was born, followed by Rana in 1969, and finally their youngest daughter Hala in 1972.
+In 1964, their first son Uday was born followed by Qusay in 1966. In 1968 their first daughter Raghad was born, followed by Rana in 1969, and finally their youngest daughter Hala in 1972.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
-In 1986, Saddam married another woman, [[Samira Shahbandar]], while still married to Sajida. Sajida was enraged, and Uday Hussein, son of Saddam and Sajida, was also angry over his father's new wife. Uday believed that his inheritance was endangered by the new wife. He also took it as an insult to his mother. In October 1988, at a party thrown in the honor of [[Suzanne Mubarak]], the wife of Egyptian President [[Hosni Mubarak]], Uday beat and stabbed [[Kamel Hana Gegeo]] to death. Uday believed that it was Kamel who introduced Saddam and Samira, and that he arranged their meetings. Some say the murder of Gegeo was a request of Sajida. Although her husband married another woman, Sajida and Saddam never divorced.
+In 1986, Saddam married another woman, [[Samira Shahbandar]], while still married to Sajida. Sajida was enraged, and Uday Hussein, son of Saddam and Sajida, was also angry over his father's new wife. Uday took it as an insult to his mother and also believed that his inheritance was endangered by Saddam taking a new wife. In October 1988, at a party thrown in the honor of [[Suzanne Mubarak]], the wife of Egyptian President [[Hosni Mubarak]], Uday beat and stabbed [[Kamel Hana Gegeo]] to death. Uday believed that it was Kamel who had introduced Saddam and Samira, and that he had arranged their meetings. Although her husband married another woman, Sajida and Saddam never divorced.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
-Sajida hardly ever appeared in public with her husband, so for many years her existence was obscure to the Iraqi people. However, when rumors surfaced that Saddam had married another woman, and that his family life was now strained, more pictures and videos appeared in the Iraqi media of Saddam and Sajida, as well as them with their children. These pictures and videos were intended to make it seem as if Saddam's family life was not strained.
+Sajida hardly ever appeared in public with her husband, so for many years her existence was little known to the Iraqi people. However, when rumors surfaced that Saddam had married another woman, and that his family life was now strained, more pictures and videos appeared in the Iraqi media of Saddam and Sajida, as well as them with their children. These pictures and videos were intended to make it seem as if Saddam's family life was not strained{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
-In 1989, Sajida's brother Adnan, an Iraqi Army General, was killed in a supposed helicopter crash in the desert during a sandstorm. Many people believe that Saddam ordered one of his bodyguards to plant a bomb in the helicopter because of Adnan's growing popularity. Sajida was furious, and blamed Saddam, believing her brother's death wasn't an accident.
-Sajida, along with many members of her family, fled<ref>{{Cite web|title=Saddam’s party: What’s left today|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/3/21/saddams-party-whats-left-today|access-date=2021-02-02|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}</ref> Iraq in 1990 because of the [[Gulf War]], leaving Iraq before the bombings began. There are many different reports on where the Hussein family settled, but a possible location is [[Switzerland]]. The Hussein family returned to Iraq after the war was over.
+Sajida, along with many members of her family, fled<ref>{{Cite web|title=Saddam's party: What's left today|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/3/21/saddams-party-whats-left-today|access-date=2021-02-02|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}</ref> Iraq in 1990 because of the [[Persian Gulf War]], leaving Iraq before the bombings began. There are many different reports on where the Hussein family settled, but a possible location is [[Switzerland]]. The Hussein family returned to Iraq after the war was over.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
 ==Post-invasion and disappearance==
-Sajida is believed to have fled to [[Qatar]] hours before the [[Battle of Baghdad (2003)#Preparation|bombing of Baghdad]] began on 19 March 2003. Her youngest daughter Hala is believed to have gone with her, while [[Raghad Hussein|Raghad]] and Rana Hussein fled to neighbouring Jordan.
+Sajida is believed to have fled to [[Qatar]] hours before the [[Battle of Baghdad (2003)#Preparation|bombing of Baghdad]] began on 20 March 2003. Her youngest daughter Hala is believed to have gone with her, while [[Raghad Hussein|Raghad]] and Rana Hussein fled to neighbouring Jordan.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
-In July 2004, she hired a multilingual and multi-national defence team of some 20 lawyers to defend her husband during his [[Trial of Saddam Hussein|trial]] for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other offences. However, on August 8, 2005, Saddam's family announced that they had dissolved the Jordan-based legal team and that they had appointed [[Khalil al-Duleimi]], the only Iraq-based member, as sole legal counsel.
+In July 2004, she hired a multilingual and multi-national defence team of some 20 lawyers to defend her husband during his [[Trial of Saddam Hussein|trial]] for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other offences. However, on August 8, 2005, Saddam's family announced that they had dissolved the Jordan-based legal team and that they had appointed [[Khalil al-Duleimi]], the only Iraq-based member, as sole legal counsel.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
-On July 2, 2006, Iraq national security advisor [[Muwaffaq al-Rubaie]] announced that Sajida and her daughter Raghad are placed 16th and 17th on the Iraqi government's most wanted list for financing Sunni Muslim insurgents under Saddam's reign.
+On July 2, 2006, Iraq national security advisor [[Muwaffaq al-Rubaie]] announced that Sajida and her daughter Raghad are placed 16th and 17th on the Iraqi government's most wanted list for financing Sunni Muslim insurgents under Saddam's reign.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
-It is also believed that Sajida and her daughter Raghad have been funding the insurgency in Iraq with money they took with them as they fled the country. The lawyer leading Saddam's defence team stated that "the charges against Raghad and Sajida are baseless" and that Sajida "lives in her house in [[Qatar]] alone and has no contact with anyone, not even the lawyers". He also stated that Sajida "is undergoing medical treatment".
+It is also believed that Sajida and her daughter Raghad have been funding the insurgency in Iraq with money they took with them as they fled the country. The lawyer leading Saddam's defence team stated that "the charges against Raghad and Sajida are baseless" and that Sajida "lives in her house in [[Qatar]] alone and has no contact with anyone, not even the lawyers". He also stated that Sajida "is undergoing medical treatment". {{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
-In 2015, Sajida's family denied rumors that she had died.
+In 2015, Sajida's family denied rumors that she had died.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
 ==In popular culture==
@@ Line 70: / Line 65: @@
 ==See also==
 *[[List of fugitives from justice who disappeared]]
-*[[Samira Shahbandar]], allegedly Saddam's second wife
 ==References==
@@ Line 80: / Line 74: @@
 ==External links==
+{{Commons category}}
 * {{cite news |url= https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-04-14-saddam-wife_x.htm |title= U.S. officials: Saddam's wife believed to have left Iraq |date= April 14, 2003 |publisher= [[USA Today]] }}
 * [https://www.albawaba.com/loop/saddam-hussein%E2%80%99s-family-facebook-denies-rumors-his-wife-dead-730650 Sajida Talfah's wife fled Iraq]
@@ Line 86: / Line 81: @@
 {{Authority control}}
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Talfah, Sajida}}
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Talfah, Sajida}}
 [[Category:1937 births]]
-[[Category:Fugitives]]
 [[Category:Fugitives wanted by Iraq]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
 [[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
-[[Category:Spouses of national leaders|Talfah, Sajida Khairallah]]
+[[Category:Spouses of heads of state]]
 [[Category:Tulfah family]]

v t e Saddam Hussein
Biography	17 July Revolution 1979 Ba'ath Party Purge Iran–Iraq War U.S. support Anfal campaign Gulf War 1991 uprisings Human rights record Saddam–al-Qaeda conspiracy theory timeline Capture Interrogation Trial Execution reactions
Books	Zabibah and the King The Fortified Castle Men and the City Begone, Demons Blood Quran
Propaganda	Killing babies Alleged shredder
Family	Father: Hussein 'Abid al-Majid Mother: Subha Tulfah al-Mussallat Half-brothers: Watban, Sabawi, and Barzan Wives: Sajida Talfah and Samira Shahbandar Uncle and Father-in-Law: Khairallah Talfah Sons: Uday and Qusay Daughters: Rana, Raghad, and Hala Grandchildren: Mustapha Hussein
Media	Al-ayyam al-tawila House of Saddam South Park The Devil's Double
Category:Saddam Hussein

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
National	Niederlande

Revision as of 09:41, 12 July 2024

Wife of Saddam Hussein

Post-invasion and disappearance

In popular culture

See also

References

Further reading

External links