Qasem Soleimani, leader of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Forces was assassinated by the United Nations Forces on 3rd January 2020, at Baghdad airport in drone airstrike.
When his assassination news came out everyone had a curiosity to know more about him. So, here is some uncommon information about him.
Qasem Soleimani’s childhood
Soleimani was born on 11th March 1957 in a village named Qanat-e Malek situated in the Kerman Province of Iran to a barren family. In his early days, he worked as a Construction Worker to repay his father’s debt. After that, he began working as a Contractor for the Kerman Working Organization.
His personal life
Soleimani comes from a huge family. He had five sisters and one brother. His mother and father had passed away in 2013 and 2017 respectively. His brother’s name is Sohrab Soleimani who is a former Director-General of Tehran Prisons Organization and has also served as a Warden.
Soleimani had four children in total (two sons and two daughters).
He was versed in ‘Karate’ and was also a fitness trainer in his younger days.
How he entered into Military Forces?
Qaseem Soleimani joined the Military forces during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s following the Iranian Revolution. In which, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini took power.
In his early days in the military, he was a guardsman and was posted in North-western Iran. His training period was very minimal but he accelerated fastly. And he ended up earning a reputation for his fearless actions.
“I entered the (Iran-Iraq war) on a fifteen-day mission and ended up staying until the end… We were all young and wanted to serve the revolution”, said Qaseem Soleimani on 30th September 2013.
He also participated in the suppression of Kurdish separatist in West Azerbaijan Province.
Qassem Soleimani as a Commander of Quds Forces
In the 1990s, he was chosen for an IRGC commander in Kerman Province.
Quad Forces is a part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Forces (IRGC). Soleimani was considered as one of the desirable successors for the post of Commander of IRGC. He led a ceasefire between Iraqi and Mahdi Army.
His role in the Civil War?
By 24th January 2011, Soleimani was selected as a Major General by the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei. In 2012, Soleimani supported the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian Civil War and he personally controlled the Iranian intervention in the Syrian Civil War.
Before his assassination, Soleimani was very popular and powerful in the east and he was the most recognizable battle fighter commander of Iran. He was revered by Iranian people.
