General Qassem Suleimani, 62, was not only one of
the most influential people in Iran but also in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Touted
by many as the future president of Iran, Suleimani had survived over a dozen of
assassination plots in the past against him
US President Donald Trump-authorised airstrikes at
the international airport of the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Friday killed General
Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps'
(IRGC's) Quds Force, and top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis,
along with four other top commanders. His death has heightened tensions between
the two countries. While the US said it would continue to take such actions to
protect its interests, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed
"severe revenge". Iran warned that the US would pay a heavy price of
this "extremely dangerous and foolish escalation".
General Qassem Suleimani, 62, was not only one of
the most influential people in Iran but also in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Touted
by many as the future president of Iran, Suleimani had survived over a dozen of
assassination plots in the past against him.
He was responsible for carrying out operations
beyond Iran and was a major adversary of the United States and Israel and Saudi
Arabia.
At a time when the US was up against the Bashar
Al-Assad regime in Syria, he gathered support for the controversial president.
He also helped armed groups defeat ISIS in Iraq.
Also read: Oil price rises over 4% after US air
strike kills top Iranian military commander
Suleimani took command of the Quds Forces around
21 years ago with an aim to make Iran a supreme power in the Middle East.
Reports say he had immense success in achieving that goal. From the rise of the
most powerful armed force in Lebanon and Assad's success in fighting a civil
war to Yemeni Houthi militias' resistance against Saudi Arabian-led forces -
all can be traced back to Suleimani.
He was known as a powerful as well as a
controversial figure in the Middle East -- the one who was more important than
the Iranian president for many, thanks to his reach to all factions in Iran.
As per his biography, Suleimani was born in the
Iranian city of Rabor. Born in a poor farming family, he had to move to the
neighbouring city at the age of 13 to repay his father's debt. In 1979,
Suleimani joined the Revolutionary Guards, a branch of the Iranian Armed
Forces, founded after the Iranian Revolution on April 22, 1979. While the
Iranian Army defends Iranian borders, the Revolutionary Guards protects its
political system, primarily prevents foreign interference and coups.
In less than a decade after joining IRGC, he was
sent to fight Iran's war against the invading Iraqi army outside the border
areas and was soon appointed the chief of the Irani brigade chosen for the
mission.
After the Iraqi government fell in 2003, Suleimani
was selected as the Quds Force chief.
Known as shadow commander for his indirect war
against the US, he was on the US hit list for long because of his alleged role
in deaths of thousands of civilians, including US citizens, in Iraq. Israel and
Saudi Arabia were also allegedly working to eliminate Suleimani for his alleged
attacks against diplomats and service members of these countries in various
regions of the Middle East.
Also read: US President ordered 'killing' of
Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani; Ayatollah Khamenei vows revenge
Soon after his death, the White House said on
Friday that General Suleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the
deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding
of thousands more.
"He had orchestrated attacks on coalition
bases in Iraq over the last several months - including the attack on December
27th - culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi
personnel. General Suleimani also approved the attacks on the US Embassy in
Baghdad that took place this week," the statement said.
Over a year back, Suleimani even warned US
President Donald Trump of escalating war with Iran. Calling Trump a gambler,
Suleimani said Iran was closer to the US in places it might not know. "You
will start the war but we will end it," he had threatened.
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