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A picture of a teenage boy has been shared 1000’s of occasions in social media posts that declare it exhibits the 14-year-old grandson of late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Mustafa Hussein, who “shot useless 14 US troopers” throughout a gunfight that additionally killed his father and uncle. Nevertheless, that is false. American photographer Steve McCurry, who took the picture, says it exhibits an Afghan fighter. Based on the US army commander in Iraq on the time, 4 US troopers have been wounded within the July 2003 raid, which killed Mustafa, his father and uncle.
The picture of an adolescent holding a rifle and a canine was posted on Fb right here on September 2, 2022, the place it has been shared greater than 760 occasions.
The put up’s Malaysian-language caption reads: “This boy — Mustafa Hussein from Iraq — the 14-year-old grandson of Saddam Hussein, was the final man standing, combating in opposition to US particular forces throughout an operation. Based on American troopers concerned within the operation, once they entered the home, Mustafa Hussein opened hearth on them.
“The US forces, numbering 400 troops, have been stopped by him. In entrance of the useless our bodies of his uncle and father, the boy shot and killed 14 American marines with a sniper rifle. The battle with the grandson of Saddam Hussein lasted for about six hours.”
“When the Individuals killed the boy, they have been in disbelief and much more amazed once they realized that he was a toddler. On the finish of an article commemorating Mustafa, New York Instances reporter Robert Yeisk wrote: ‘If we had somebody like this man in America, we’d construct a monument in each metropolis. I might speak about his braveness all over the place and it will have been a outstanding conflict’.”
Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was captured in December 2003, months after a US-led army invasion toppled him from energy. He was executed three years later, in December 2006, after being discovered responsible of crimes in opposition to humanity.
His sons, Uday and Qusay Hussein, have been killed in a army raid within the Iraqi city of Mosul in July 2003, alongside Qusay’s 14-year-old son, Mustafa Hussein, and a bodyguard.
Based on US army officers, Mustafa could have been the final to die within the hours-long gun battle and {the teenager} saved capturing even after his father and uncle had been killed.
The identical picture has been shared greater than 1,600 occasions after it additionally circulated in comparable posts on Fb right here, right here, right here and right here; in addition to on Twitter right here.
The image additionally appeared alongside comparable claims in English, since not less than 2019.
The declare, nevertheless, is fake.
‘Afghan fighter’
Utilizing a mix of reverse-image and key phrase searches, AFP discovered the picture was posted by American photographer Steve McCurry on his verified Instagram account right here on August 14, 2017.
The put up’s caption reads: “This portrait of an Afghan fighter will probably be in my new e-book, AFGHANISTAN, printed by @taschen popping out in September.”
McCurry is an award-winning photographer well-known for his “Afghan Woman” image.
German-based writer Taschen confirmed to AFP that the image is in McCurry’s photobook “Afghanistan“, which was printed in 2017.
US army raid
Though US officers believed Mustafa Hussein had saved firing all through a army raid that killed him, his father and uncle, he didn’t fatally shoot 14 troopers.
In a video of a press convention on July 23, 2003, uploaded to C-Span right here, then US commander of the coalition forces in Iraq Lieutenant Normal Ricardo Sanchez shared particulars of the raid in Mosul yesterday.
He stated the shootout killed 4 individuals within the besieged home and injured 4 US troopers.
On the nine-minute, 45-second mark of the video, Sanchez describes 4 troopers being wounded as they tried to enter the second flooring of the home. “At this level, our forces withdrew,” he stated.
An anti-tank missile was deployed at 1:00 pm when the troops re-entered the home, killing three adults, Sanchez stated.
Because the troops tried to enter the home for a 3rd time, they shot useless a fourth one that was firing from the second flooring, Sanchez stated on the 13-minute, 50-second mark of the video. Coalition forces “accomplished securing the constructing at about 1400 hours yesterday”, the commander stated.
American media shops reported on the raid right here, right here and right here, saying that 4 troopers have been wounded and the 4 killed have been Uday, Qusay, Mustafa Hussein and a bodyguard.
New York Instances journalist
Mustafa, additionally written as Mustapha Hussein, appeared in a number of New York Instances stories between July 2003 and August 2007 — right here, right here, right here, right here and right here — none of which have been written by “Robert Yeisk”.
On-line searches discovered no outcomes of a New York Instances journalist with this identify.
