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48-471: Task Force 121 Invasion (2003) Post-invasion insurgency (2003–2006) Civil war (2006–2008) Insurgency (2008–2011) Saddam Hussein , the deposed president of Iraq , was captured by the United States military in the town of Ad-Dawr , Iraq on 13 December 2003. Codenamed Operation Red Dawn , this military operation was named after the 1984 American film Red Dawn . The mission

96-538: A Glock 18C . Saddam surrendered and offered no resistance; he was taken by an MH-6 Little Bird from the 160th SOAR to the Tikrit Mission Support Site where he was properly identified. He was then taken in an MH-60K Blackhawk helicopter by 160th SOAR from Tikrit to Baghdad and into custody at Baghdad International Airport . Along with the Glock, an AK-47 and $ 750,000 in U.S. bank notes were recovered from

144-506: A " spider hole " at 20:30 hrs local Iraqi time. Saddam did not resist capture. Saddam disappeared from public view shortly after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq began. The U.S. military labelled him " High Value Target Number One" (HVT1) and began one of the largest manhunts in history. Between July and December 2003, JSOC 's Task Force 121 carried out twelve unsuccessful raids to find Saddam, together with 600 other operations against targets, including 300 interrogations. On 1 December 2003,

192-401: A U.S. military victory. "The capture of Saddam will not save the U.S. from the world's condemnation for supporting the greater enemy, Israeli P.M. Ariel Sharon", said Selim Al-Hoss , ex-Lebanese Prime Minister. [REDACTED]   Palestine : Palestinian President Yasser Arafat 's government had no comment; however Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi , a senior Hamas leader, said the U.S. would "pay

240-500: A criminal, whoever it may be, and I am even more happy, because it is a criminal who committed so many crimes against Iranians." Abtahi joined the call for justice, adding, "Iranians have suffered much, because of him, and [the] mass graves in Iraq prove the crimes he has committed against the Iraqi people". [REDACTED]   Israel : Prime minister Ariel Sharon congratulated President Bush on

288-482: A fair trial for Saddam. [REDACTED]   Pakistan : The response in Pakistan also was low-key. Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan called the capture an important development. [REDACTED]   South Korea : South Korea welcomed the news, which came hours after its government made a final decision to send 3,000 troops to Iraq. [REDACTED]   Republic of China (Taiwan) : An hour after U.S. announced

336-467: A firefight with TF20 operators and soldiers from 101st Airborne . On 13 December 2003, Operation Red Dawn netted HVT #1, Saddam Hussein. After intelligence narrowed down the target to two possible locations, TF121 coordinated the raid with 600 soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division 's 1st Brigade Combat Team and Golf Troop 10th Cavalry Regiment (Reconnaissance troop), 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division. According to an internal army investigation leaked to

384-536: A former driver divulged the name Muhammed Ibrahim Omar al-Musslit, Saddam's comrade, known to TF 121 as "the source" or "the fatman". Over the next two weeks, nearly 40 members of his family were interrogated to ascertain his location. On 12 December 2003, a raid on a house in Baghdad that was being used as an insurgent headquarters captured Omar. Early the next morning he revealed where Saddam may be found. This intelligence and other intelligence from detained former members of

432-406: A military cordon. The drivers apparently had missed the cordon when they turned into the area from an unblocked side street. TF121's primary mission was the apprehension of High Value Targets and was organized in such a way that it has a close relationship with intelligence personnel and has timely and unhindered access to any relevant data gathered by intelligence assets in the area. Such an option

480-538: A single streamlined force, forming the TF121. The force was approximately 1,500 soldiers with its own support capabilities. Task Force 20's primary goal was to capture or kill " High-value targets " (HVTs), such as Iraqi Mujahideen leaders and former Ba'ath party regime members and leaders. Task Force 20 operators were directly involved in the 4-hour firefight between 101st Airborne soldiers and Saddam Hussein 's sons, Uday and Qusay Hussein . The two sons were killed in

528-643: A very high price for the mistake" of capturing Saddam. [REDACTED]   Saudi Arabia : Prince Bandar bin Sultan , Saudi ambassador to the United States, stated that "Saddam Hussein was a menace to the Arab world." [REDACTED]   Syria : Syrian Information Minister Ahmad al-Hassan advised Syria's position on Iraq was not based on the fate of individuals. "We want an Iraq that preserves its territorial integrity, its unity and its sovereignty." [REDACTED]   Afghanistan : The Afghan government welcomed news of

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576-499: A very very different level of reconstruction," he said. "This is a great victory to the coalition forces but the biggest winners of all of this will be the people of Iraq," he said. [REDACTED]   United States : [REDACTED]   Australia : Prime Minister John Howard welcomed the news. He said the Iraqi people could breathe a sigh of relief now that the former dictator was no longer at large. [REDACTED]   New Zealand : Prime Minister Helen Clark reiterated

624-468: Is a major event." [REDACTED]   Germany : Chancellor Gerhard Schröder greeted the development "with much happiness." In a telegram to George W. Bush , he called for intensified efforts to rebuild Iraq. [REDACTED]   Vatican City : Top Curia official Renato Martino , a cardinal deacon and President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace , attacked the way Saddam

672-524: Is invaluable to any Special Operations team, and especially so to one whose primary mission is hunting elusive fugitives whose hideouts change frequently and randomly. Many TF121 groups were assigned Special Operations CIRA (Communications Intelligence Reconnaissance and Action) personnel with expertise in relevant fields. These operators work closely with the intelligence agencies tied to TF121 and work to pinpoint and identify HVTs aggressively. On 21 July 2003, Saddam's sons Uday and Qusay were killed in

720-513: The Washington Post , Task Force 121 was responsible for the illegal abuse of detainees in secret interrogation facilities in Iraq. In 2006, after the unit had changed its name to Task Force 6-26 , a Human Rights Watch report recorded evidence of continued abuse, including beatings and waterboarding . Combined Joint Task Force 7 In a meeting which Commander-in-Chief Central Command, General Tommy Franks held with his officers after

768-490: The Ba'ath Party , supported by signals intelligence from the ISA , finally pinpointed Saddam at a remote farm compound south of Tikrit . Operation Red Dawn was launched after gaining actionable intelligence identifying two likely locations of Saddam's whereabouts code-named Wolverine 1 and Wolverine 2, near the town of ad-Dawr. C squadron Delta Force , ISA operators under Task Force 121, and

816-732: The Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group (AvTEG), and the Joint Communications Unit . Two companies of armor from the U.S. Army 4th Infantry Division and later two cavalry troops from 1/1 Cav 1st Armored Division provided armor support. TF121 was a combination of the now defunct Task Force 5 and Task Force 20, which operated in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively. Acting on the apparent logistic redundancy of keeping two separate task force teams for Iraq and Afghanistan, General John Abizaid decided to combine both teams into

864-550: The First Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division conducted the operation. The operation was named after the 1984 film Red Dawn . The site names "Wolverine 1" and "Wolverine 2" are also a reference to the American insurgent group in the film. The forces involved in the operation consisted of approximately 600 soldiers including cavalry, artillery, aviation, engineer, and special operations forces. The forces cleared

912-530: The Iraqi people should decide how Saddam would be brought to justice on accusations of gross human rights violations. Iraqis should "be given the right to decide on the manner and procedure of bringing Saddam Hussein to face justice," said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi , head of the Non-Aligned Movement . Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar expressed hope that the capture of Saddam Hussein would contribute towards bringing peace and stability in Iraq and

960-426: The Iraqi people would be able to assume their responsibilities as soon as possible and build their future according to their will. The first and last word concerning the capture of Saddam or his fate must be given to the Iraqi people. [REDACTED]   Lebanon : The country was tense at news of the U.S. capture of Saddam at the weekend; people were surprised by how easily he was captured, however, it did not equal

1008-457: The Iraqis who have undergone a baptism of fire in the war, the days of peace are still far away, and the road of reconstruction is as long and arduous as before." South China Morning Post editorialized: "With Hussein's capture, Iraqis can at last begin to close this brutal and tragic chapter in their history." [REDACTED]   India : The Indian government's response to the capture of Saddam

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1056-536: The New Zealand legislature's opposition to capital punishment , with such opposition extending to the treatment of Saddam. [REDACTED]   Kenya : The newspaper People Daily wrote, "The capture of deposed Iraq leader Saddam Hussein is, no doubt, a major victory for the United States and the coalition of the willing, chief among which is Britain. The curtain has now fallen on one of the world's most ruthless and intriguing leaders." A Pentagon spokesman said he

1104-400: The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Indonesian leaders also said they hoped the capture of Saddam would help bring peace to Iraq and return control of the country back to its citizens. [REDACTED]   Japan : Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday said he hoped that Saddam's capture would lead to improvements in Iraq. He said the capture would be positive if it brings major steps toward

1152-523: The announcement of the Coalition Provisional Authority in late April 2003, it was decided that a new Combined Joint Task Force , headed by a three-star general, would be the best organisation to take over from the CFLCC. General Gene Renuart chose the new force's number, 7, as that was the number his son had worn on his soccer uniform. Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez was selected to lead

1200-503: The capture of Saddam, deeming it a warning to opposition leaders such as Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar . [REDACTED]   Bangladesh : Foreign Minister Morshed Khan was quoted as saying, "We hope this will pave the way for the Iraqi people to have a government of their own, a government by the people and for the people of Iraq." [REDACTED]   People's Republic of China : Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao hoped that

1248-456: The capture, President Chen Shui Bian congratulated the U.S. for what he called "a big victory". [REDACTED]   Belgium : The Flemish-language newspaper De Standaard editorialized that "Showing degrading pictures of a prisoner, even if he was a cruel tyrant, does not increase the moral authority of those who overpowered him." [REDACTED]   France : A statement from President Jacques Chirac said, "Saddam Hussein's arrest

1296-454: The defeat of the former regime insurgency. Using documents and materials captured as a result of the operation, CJTF-7 units pursued "what they believed were the last vestiges of the former Ba'athist resistance." In 2021 the Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik said that an anonymous Iraqi interpreter claimed that Saddam Hussein was actually found praying in a normal room in the farmhouse near

1344-425: The fight against terrorism, and stated: "Today is a great day for the democratic world and the fight for freedom and justice and for those who fight against terror. We are relieved that this murderer and dictator can no longer stand in the way of the rebuilding and reconstruction of the country he destroyed." [REDACTED]   Jordan : The government spokeswoman said she hoped that a page has been turned and that

1392-432: The latest development of the situation in Iraq was conducive to the Iraqi people taking their destiny into their own hands, and to realizing peace and stability in Iraq. [REDACTED]   Hong Kong : Sing Tao Daily editorialized: "The desperate capture of Iraqi former president Saddam symbolizes the bad fate of a corrupt dictator and also the best Christmas present this year for US President George Bush, but for

1440-495: The new force, drawing on the V Corps staff with senior officer augmentation from across the army. The United States deployed more than seventy-eight percent of the soldiers in the occupying coalition with the majority of other troops coming from the United Kingdom and the rest made up from several other allies. Their status as Coalition Provisional Authority , or "Occupying Powers" under a United Nations resolution changed when

1488-437: The new government came to power on 28 June 2004, although they were still heavily influenced by the massive U.S. military and diplomatic presence in the country. India's government announced on 14 July 2003, that it would need explicit United Nations authorization before it would send troops to Iraq. The decision was a setback to U.S. officials, who had hoped for a division of 17,000 Indian soldiers to help relieve U.S. forces in

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1536-750: The north of the country. The Task Force was replaced by Multi-National Force – Iraq and Multi-National Corps – Iraq on 15 May 2004. On 23 July 2003, the Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 (OIF-2) rotation for Combined Joint Task Force 7 was announced. The 3rd Infantry Division was to be replaced by the 82nd Airborne Division (-), the I MEF by what was to become Multinational Division South Center, 4th Infantry Division by 1st Infantry Division , with an Army National Guard Brigade (ARNG) attached, 1st Armored Division by 1st Cavalry Division , also with an ARNG Brigade attached, 3 ACR by 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and 101st Airborne Division by

1584-787: The process of political regulation in the country with the active participation of the United Nations ." [REDACTED]   United Kingdom : Prime Minister Tony Blair , President George W. Bush's strongest ally in the Iraq War , called the capture good news for Iraqis, saying: "It removes the shadow that has been hanging over them for too long of the nightmare of a return to the Saddam regime." [REDACTED]   Canada : Prime Minister Paul Martin congratulated U.S. troops, and sent telegrams of congratulations to U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He would state that he

1632-492: The region. [REDACTED]   Egypt : Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said, "I don't think anyone will be sad over Saddam Hussein. His arrest does not change the fact that his regime was finished, and it is the natural consequence of the regime's fall. The Iraqi regime had harmed the Iraqi people, and had pulled the Arab region into several storms." [REDACTED]   Iran : Vice President Mohammad-Ali Abtahi expressed satisfaction, stating, "I am happy they have arrested

1680-592: The shootout. The apprehending of the most wanted man in Iraq, Saddam Hussein, in Operation Red Dawn directly involved Task Force 121 operators and members of the Army's 4th Infantry Division . Task Force 20 was also involved in what the US military calls a tragic accident on 27 July 2003. At least three Iraqis were killed in western Baghdad's Mansour district, when US soldiers from Task Force 20 opened fire on cars that overshot

1728-520: The site where the United States claimed to have found him, and the story that he had been found in the spider hole was an American fabrication. [REDACTED]   Bahrain : The official Bahrain News Agency quoted a foreign ministry spokesman who said [his capture] should restore unity and cohesion to the Iraqis, to build "a promising future in a prosperous Iraq enjoying security and co-operating with its neighbors to promote stability and development" in

1776-471: The spider hole. Two other individuals were also detained. Following the capture of Hussein, the 4th Infantry Division's area of operations in the upper Tigris saw its "first period of real calm." CJTF-7 also saw IED attacks reduce by 39 percent. The perceived security improvements led to CJTF-7 and the CPA to adopt an optimistic outlook as 2003 ended. CJTF-7 believed that the capture of Saddam and his money heralded

1824-536: The stability and reconstruction of Iraq. Koizumi's cabinet had approved a controversial plan to send troops to Iraq. He said he would continue to assess the security situation in Iraq before dispatching the soldiers. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda agreed the arrest was "great news," but cautioned it would not necessarily lead to peace. "The problem, however, is terrorism. I don't think the arrest of Saddam Hussein can stop all terror attacks," Fukuda said. [REDACTED]   Malaysia : The Malaysian government said

1872-507: The stabilization of Iraq. Powell told Sinha that the capture would bring "a change in the existing situation and lead to greater respect for the Iraqi Governing Council ." [REDACTED]   Indonesia : In Indonesia, the reaction was muted. Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said the arrest of the former Iraqi president had not changed how Indonesia felt about the situation in Iraq. Indonesia's leaders strongly opposed

1920-583: The surrounding region and stated that the United Nations should now play a bigger role in achieving this objective. "With peace and stability in Iraq, we hope that an Iraqi government representing the free and independent Iraqi people could be set up to start the reconstruction process of that nation for the benefit of its people," he said. He said the views and inputs of the Iraqis should be taken into account in deciding whatever action would be initiated against Saddam. Former prime minister Mahathir Mohammed urged

1968-438: The time commanded thousands of international troops in Iraq. Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdziński welcomed the news, but said the arrest could prompt retaliation from Saddam's supporters. "The coming days could be equally dangerous as these past days," he said. [REDACTED]   Russia : Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said, "We think the arrest of Saddam Hussein will contribute to the strengthening of security in Iraq and to

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2016-419: The two objectives but initially did not find the target. Then, as the operators were finishing and the helicopters called in to extract them, one soldier kicked a piece of flooring to one side, exposing a spider hole ; he prepared to throw a grenade into it – in case it led to an insurgent tunnel system – when suddenly Saddam appeared. The soldier struck him with the stock of his M4 carbine and disarmed him of

2064-541: Was a United States Department of Defense special operations task force . TF121 was a multi-service force from Joint Special Operations Command , made up of operators from the U.S. Army's Delta Force , 75th Ranger Regiment , and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment , the U.S. Navy's SEAL Team Six , the CIA 's Special Activities Division , U.S. Air Force Combat Controllers , Pararescuemen , Tactical Air Control Party operators, and Special Operations Weather Technicians ,

2112-462: Was confident that the deposed Iraqi leader will be prosecuted fairly. "What's important is that he be tried before a tribunal that is just, that is credible and that has international recognition," said Martin, "I'm sure that will be the case." Martin spoke to reporters from his Montreal riding, saying Saddam's capture would bolster reconstruction efforts in Iraq. "Now that he has been captured there's no doubt in my mind that we will now be able to move to

2160-429: Was executed by joint operations Task Force 121 —an elite and covert joint special operations team, supported by the 1st Brigade Combat Team (led by Colonel James Hickey ) of the 4th Infantry Division , commanded by Major General Raymond Odierno . They searched two sites, "Wolverine 1" and "Wolverine 2", outside the town of ad-Dawr, but did not find Saddam. A continued search between the two sites found Saddam hiding in

2208-645: Was given prisoner of war (POW) status as he was the leader of the "old regime's military forces." The spokesman, Major Michael Shavers, said Saddam, captured by U.S. troops in December, was entitled to all the rights under the Geneva Conventions . The International Committee of the Red Cross had asked to visit the former Iraqi leader as soon as possible. Shavers did not give further details about Saddam's conditions of detention. Task Force 121 Task Force 121

2256-547: Was measured and guarded. When Secretary of State Colin Powell called Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha on Monday to discuss the capture of Saddam, whom Washington had named a tyrant, Sinha is said to have reacted in a manner that did not echo the effusion flowing from the rest of the world. In the words of an official with the foreign ministry, Sinha "maintained a stiff upper lip". Sinha, in his brief conversation with Powell, merely expressed hope that such developments would contribute to

2304-402: Was treated by his captors, saying he had been dealt with like an animal. Martino said he had felt pity watching video of "this man destroyed, [the military] looking at his teeth as if he were a beast." The cardinal, a leading critic of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, said he hoped the capture would not make matters "worse." Pope John Paul II did not comment. [REDACTED]   Poland : Poland at

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