Hala Hussein
Encyclopedia
Hala Saddam Hussein is the third daughter of the former President of Iraq
, Saddam Hussein
and his first wife Sajida Talfah
. Hala was said to be Saddam's favorite daughter. Very little firm information is known about her as her father never permitted any photographs or records of her to be published, and whatever records that remained of her were ordered to be destroyed when American troops were reaching Baghdad in 2003. Her father sent her to live with her maternal grandfather Khairallah Talfah
for her safety, due to the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war
and the Persian Gulf War
. She despised her older brother Uday
because he often raised his voice to his mother and frightened young Hala. Saddam arranged for her to marry General Kamal Mustafa Abdallah Sultan al-Tikriti in 1998. The couple have two children.
In 2003, when United States President George W. Bush
ordered the Hussein family to leave Iraq within 48 hours, Hala and her sisters, as well as her mother, fled Iraq. Although her sisters went to Jordan, where they were granted asylum, Hala is believed to have gone to Qatar with her mother, Sajida. This is thought to be true, as an interview with Raghad and Rana took place in Jordan, in which Hala was not present. Her husband surrendered to Coalition Forces in Baghdad on 17 May 2003.
President of Iraq
The President of Iraq is the head of state of Iraq and "safeguards the commitment to the Constitution and the preservation of Iraq's independence, sovereignty, unity, the security of its territories in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution." The President is elected by the Council of...
, 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...
and his first wife Sajida Talfah
Sajida Talfah
Sajida Khairallah Talfah , is the widow and wife of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, and mother of two sons and three daughters .She was born in 1937. She is the oldest daughter of Khairallah Talfah...
. Hala was said to be Saddam's favorite daughter. Very little firm information is known about her as her father never permitted any photographs or records of her to be published, and whatever records that remained of her were ordered to be destroyed when American troops were reaching Baghdad in 2003. Her father sent her to live with her maternal grandfather Khairallah Talfah
Khairallah Talfah
Khairallah Talfah - Khayr-Allah Telfah - Khairallah Tolfah - Khairallah Tilfah was an Iraqi Ba'ath Party official, and the maternal uncle and father-in-law of Saddam Hussein. He was the father of Sajida Talfah, Saddam's first wife, and of Adnan Khairallah, defence minister...
for her safety, due to the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
and the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. She despised her older brother Uday
Uday Hussein
Uday Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti , was the eldest son of Saddam Hussein from his first wife, Sajida Talfah. He was the brother of Qusay Hussein. Uday was for several years seen as the heir apparent of his father; however, Uday lost his place in the line of succession due to his erratic behavior and...
because he often raised his voice to his mother and frightened young Hala. Saddam arranged for her to marry General Kamal Mustafa Abdallah Sultan al-Tikriti in 1998. The couple have two children.
In 2003, when United States President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
ordered the Hussein family to leave Iraq within 48 hours, Hala and her sisters, as well as her mother, fled Iraq. Although her sisters went to Jordan, where they were granted asylum, Hala is believed to have gone to Qatar with her mother, Sajida. This is thought to be true, as an interview with Raghad and Rana took place in Jordan, in which Hala was not present. Her husband surrendered to Coalition Forces in Baghdad on 17 May 2003.