“I will come back from Syria only as a Martyr or holding the banner of victory.”
– Martyr Mustafa Badriddine
He is an enigmatic Military Chief of Lebanon’s Hezbollah who remains shrouded in mystery. With his powerful Shi’ite Militant movement giving out no information, this Hezbollah Leader left no footprints, Ilyas Faud Saeb, Sami Isa, Sayyid Zulfiqar, Mustafa Amine Badriddine, Mustafa Yusuf Badriddine all were aliases of Hezbollah’s secretive Military Commander, Mustafa Badriddine has been described in court records as “An Untraceable Ghost”. Born in the Southern Beirut suburb of Ghobeiry on 6 April 1961, his parents are Amine Badriddine and Fatima Jezeini who originate from South Lebanon. Badriddine had a pronounced limp, believed to have sustained while he fought alongside Pro-Palestinian and Pan-Arabism Militias during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Badriddine studied political science at the Lebanese American University, there are almost no images available of Martyr Badriddine, and two that were available by the Tribunal were dated one showing him as a teenager and the other apparently from his days in Kuwait. Martyr Badriddine left few personal records, investigators for the UN trial say they found no driving licenses or passports, no property formally owned by him, no record of him ever having left Lebanon, no bank accounts, and no photos from around the time of Hariri’s assassination. In the opening sessions of his trial in absentia in “The Hague” the prosecutors said, “He passes as an unrecognizable and untraceable ghost throughout Lebanon, leaving no footprints as he passes.”
Mystery intrigue shrouded the man who was responsible for some of the most spectacular victories for Hezbollah.
Who is Martyr Mustafa Badriddine?
Although his life achievements cannot be briefed within a short biography, this piece of work provides an unbiased and fair analysis of one of the most important personalities, dedicated in his memory and to the spirit in which he lived and worked finally to attain the supreme status of Martyrdom.
This Hezbollah Military Commander was aged around 55 and hailed from the south of Lebanon, bordering Israel. His Military career started in the ranks of the PLO’s Fatah movement. He was a part of Fatah’s Force 17 with his cousin Emad Mugniyeh,[ Force 17- was a commando and special operations unit of the Palestinian Fatah movement] following Israel’s invasion in 1982; they both joined the Hezbollah movement newly created by Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, where he formed jihadi groups and trained them to confront the Zionist entity. Martyr Badreddine was one of the most prominent mujahidin who encountered the Nazi invasion in Beirut and Khaldeh; where he was injured during the clashes. Badriddine was arrested and sentenced to death in Kuwait in 1983 over his suspected involvement in a string of co-ordinate bombings in the tiny Gulf-Emirate that also targeted the US and French embassies. They were believed to be retribution for Kuwait and the west’s support for Iraq in its war with Iran. Shi’ite activist high jacked a plane in Kuwait in 1984 and a TWA aircraft to Beirut the following year to demand Martyr Badriddine’s release. After his release from the prison of Kuwait, he started his Resistance activities and campaigns under the resistance of sensitive military and security agencies. Martyr Badriddine was frequently targeted by the Israeli intelligence agencies; he spent his whole life struggling against Israel. He was among one of the team members who stood steadfast in South against Israeli army and became a hurdle for them to enter. He was a member of the shura council for Hezbollah and the head of the unit for overseas operations, Hezbollah’s external operations branch. His aide was Abdul Hadi Hammade, who previously commanded Hezbollah’s secret position 71 [Hezbollah’s secret position 71, a Special Forces unit that engages in counter-intelligence and internal security.] Badriddine served as the commander of Hezbollah’s military arm, and the advisor to Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah remembers Martyr Badriddine as a commander of the veterans. It was a known fact that he could aim and shoot with two guns at a time. He was also very intelligent related to the military tactics, masterminding difficult operations, co-ordinating sophisticated networks that precisely tracked the enemies’ moves. He was adhered to security protocols and he never used mobile phone for more than a day, he never allowed anyone else around his location to use a telephone. Hezbollah praised Badriddine as a great jihadi leader who took part in most of the Islamic Resistance Operations since 1982.
In 1992, the Martyr became the Commander of Hezbollah’s Central Military unit, started establishing Military formations and made strategic training plans. He was the mastermind behind many heroic operations against the Nazi occupation, which forced the Nazi army to withdraw cowardly in 2000. Martyr Badriddine played a prominent role in confronting the major Nazi aggression on Lebanon in 1993, obliging the Zionist Prime Minister Issac Rabin at that time to acknowledge the fact that Hezbollah defeated the Zionist entity.
After the major Zionist aggression on Lebanon in 1996, Martyr Badriddine succeeded in driving the world to acknowledge the Resistance’s legitimacy and its right to defend its country.
In 1997, Martyr Mustafa Badriddine had a central role in planning and supervising the Ansariya Operation, which killed scores of elite Zionist troops. He was further able to dismantle scores of Nazi spy cells in Lebanon. Abbas Fneish, on the sad occasion of the martyrdom of Jihad Mugniyeh had an exclusive interview with Martyr Badriddine, “Hours in the company of 110” {110- one of the secret names of Badriddine} where he received the privilege of being in his company, he says, “ I seized the opportunity to ask Sayyid Mustafa Badriddine a question.” “Talking about the south, aren’t you the author of the term “The war of minds.”? To which he replied, “There is a long story behind this term?” Ansaria operation 1997, He says, “Listen my dear, if you really want to know about the ‘war of minds’ go back to Ansaria.” He becomes silent for some time as if recalling memories, then says, “Haji Emad Mugniyeh and I prepared for this operation.”
May Allah bless Sayyid Mustafa Badriddine. He revealed something; and to this day, the whole story was untold.
An insight on “The Ansariya Operation” by “Naim Qassem” {Hezbollah: The story from within}
The Ansaria Operation bewildered Israel; the Israeli elite squad Shayetet marine commandos infiltrated the environment of Ansariya in South Lebanon district of Sidon on the night of September 5, 1997. Upon their arrival at the target destination, they fell into a tight ambush prepared by the Resistance mujahedeen. All sorts of weapons were used, in the following three hours of clashes the result were seventeen casualties on the Zionist side, their remnants spreading all over the combat zone. Despite intervention by the Israeli Air Force and efforts at clearing the place of any traces, the mujahedeen fighters succeeded in gathering bodily remains of hands, feet and head of one of the infiltrators, which later proved as an important asset in the exchange for detainees in Israeli prison. What the enemy did not know back then was that Resistance was well aware of the planned operation, and Hezbollah combatants stood ready to receive the infiltrators, shadowing the Israeli forces from the moment of their landing on the shore to their passage into the fields until they arrived in Ansariya. Mujahedeen fighters were present with vital weaponry in the zone; this explains the intensity of the engagement the type of weapons used the extent of losses on the Israeli side and the necessity of Israeli air force intervention.
Sayyid Nasrallah’s revelation, “that Hezbollah was able to capture images from Israeli drones before and during Ansariya operation” thus allowing the party to prepare a deadly ambush for the Shayetet commandos; was a humiliating slap in the face of Israeli Military establishment. Not only did it loose several members of its elite naval commando unit, “Shayetet 13” but it also led to the cancellation of Israel’s plan to retaliate. They had no choice but to admit that Hezbollah succeeded through its own counter intelligence efforts to learn about the operation in advance. A new victory was added to the Resistance’s record.
Martyr Badriddine replaced his mentor and brother in law Martyr Emad Mugniyeh as Hezbollah’s security chief after the latter was killed in February 2008 attack in Damascus, and when the Shi’ite movement intervened in support of its ally President Bashar Al Assad in Syria’s civil war, to help the Syrian government drive out foreign backed Takfiri terrorists from the country. He became head of the military operations. With the inception of the Syrian crisis in 2011, Martyr Badriddine was one of the first commanders who confronted the Takfiri plot across Syria. Martyr Badriddine was Hezbollah’s highest-ranking secret operative, he was impeccable in his battlefield strategy.
According to Tasnim news agency (Tehran), Israel is widely known to have been supporting terrorists fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. According to Israel’s channel 2 television, Israeli medics have treated more than 2,100 militants injured in the war on Syria since 2011. In December 2015, the British newspaper “Daily Mail” said, “Israel has saved the lives of more than 2,000 Takfiri militants since 2013.” The Syrian Army has repeatedly claimed to have seized sizable quantities of Israeli made weapons and advanced military equipment from militants in Arab countries.
Lebanese resistance movements are determined to combat the Israeli regime and terrorism. Since the inception of Syrian conflict, Hezbollah has sent thousands of combatants; between 5,000 to 6,000 according to “Charara”, since 2013 to help fight both rebels and jihadists. Experts say, Hezbollah has lost 1,000 to 2,000 fighters.
Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, heaps praise on the movements of military commander Mustafa Badriddine, saying, “He was a front runner in the fight against Israel alongside his predecessor Martyr Emad Mugniyeh in the 2006 war against Israel before assuming several responsibilities including the dismantling of Israeli spy networks. Martyr Badriddine was tasked with overseeing Hezbollah’s security and military units in Syria since Takfiri militants initiated a war there in 2011. Hezbollah fighters are combating alongside the Syrian government forces against a range of terrorist groups operating in the war torn Arab country, including Daesh and the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al- Nusra Front. The Hezbollah leader said that initially Martyr Badriddine was directing the Syria operation from Lebanon, but later insisted on traveling to Syria to oversee in person the sensitive operation. He was also trying his best to prevent the Syrian conflict from spilling over Lebanon and keep the Takfiri terrorist at bay. Martyr Badriddine’s presence in Syria helped Hezbollah prevent the fall of the country into the hands of Takfiris and their American masters and spies in the region.”
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah concluded his speech by saying, “I say to you with all confidence, throughout our 34 years, we have witnessed worse circumstances than what we are dealing with today. With our loyalty, steadfastness and commitment to our ongoing march on our path of Resistance, we shall overcome this phase as well. In this battle, we are advancing and achieving victories. The Americans, the Zionist and Al Saud said they would gobble up Syria five years ago, but Syria still stands today. This is because of the sacrifices of our Martyrs. Indeed, Sayyid Mustafa Badriddine’s blood and the blood of all our Martyrs is the fuel, which is driving us to victory in this historic defense of the Muslim nation. The death of our commander would not lead to Hezbollah withdrawing from Syria, Martyr Badriddine’s blood will push us to a greater presence in Syria and more leaders will go into Syria. This is how we honor our Martyrs and bring defeat to the US-Zionist-Takfiri-Saudi project.”
Months before his death, Badriddine said he wouldn’t come back home from Syria unless as a martyr or a carrier of the banner of victory.
He was a strong and courageous commander who never gave up defending the cause of the Lebanese Resistance movement. This brave martyr spent many years of his life on the front lines of battles against the Zionist regime and its mercenaries in the region. Badriddine was in a warehouse near Damascus airport when it was rocked by a blast, according to Syrian security, no aircraft was heard before the explosion and no one knew of his presence there. The airport and its surroundings adjoin an area of fighting around the Lady Zainab shrine, which is revered by shi’ites around the world. The Syrian army controls the area and the Iranian and Hezbollah fighters are present in force. The closest rebel positions are four miles away in eastern Ghouta area. The blast was a result of artillery bombardment by Islamist extremist groups in the region. Against all odds, Martyr Mustafa Badriddine continued his struggle until he embraced the honor of martyrdom in Damascus on May 13, 2016. He is buried close to his brother in law Martyr Emad Mugniyh in the Rawdat Shahiyadayn cemetery in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The mainstream media have imposed their biases on Martyr Badriddine, this was just a preliminary sketch, intended to acquaint the reader with the martyr’s life and the main aspects of Martyr Badriddine as a great jihadi of exceptional stature.
Martyr Badriddine possessed a multifaceted individuality; he was an elegant amalgam of emotional, intellectual and moral qualities, which made him an attractive personality. He went by different nom de guerre, but “Zulfiqar” best suited his fearless personality. {Zulfiqar being the name of the legendary forked sword of Imam Ali a.s, the prophet’s cousin and one of the most revered figures in Shia Islam.} The lovers of Ali a.s are known to possess extra ordinary qualities, which might seem unnatural to others, they are brave and fearless on battlefields, but when they hear an orphan cry their heart will melt. Martyr Badriddine displayed these contradictory personalities impeccably; there was a “Zulfiqar” side and a “Badriddine” side to his personality. They both contradict each other and yet are complimentary to each other in their own way. To witness the “ Zulfiqar” aspect in him it is enough to see his entrance in a gathering, everything is reduced to silence ; you are mesmerized by the perfect alliance of strength and security you witness in his presence. He adores the power parades, the oath, beating of drums accompanied by the self sacrificing martyrs, the giant posters, the military march, the impeccable military costumes albeit this cannot be compared to his brilliance in his military career.
The “Badriddine” side of him is caring and compassionate, he takes care of soldiers and makes sure that they are properly fed and taken care off; he made sure that always the Guards and Fighters should eat first. Even when he was jailed in Kuwait, he was nicknamed “Kilqass” for this very habit of his, he stole the hearts of everyone even the jailer. During the lamentation council of his brother in law’s martyr son Jihad Mugniyeh, a wave of memories surges with the power of an ocean and he is engulfed in grief, overtaken by tears.
He addresses those who consoled him on the death of his brother in law’s son Jihad Mugniyeh, by recalling a poem from the Egyptian poet Martyr Hachem Rifai under the title, “The mother of the martyr lullabies her baby to bed.”
The mother of the martyr lullabies her baby to bed.
O! My baby, Sleep in this cradle guarded by hope.
My eyes are sleepless for pains that grow at night.
I am singing my sad song, and I am about to cry!
Buy I raise my hands to the skies to mend the pace of the skies.
Once again, the “Zulfiqar” side of him overpowers, and he quotes the poem of a Libyan poet Amro Khalifa Nami, in an attempt to answer,
In a procession for the callers towards righteousness, we follow them
On the path of guidance, which we founded.
On both its sides is our resting place
And our skulls form its pillars
O mother! Do not have fear, for Allah is our guard.
We are moving on a path we have excelled in!
He is “Badriddine” and “Zulfiqar” all rolled into one, a fine blend of compassion and bravery.
On the funeral of Martyr Mustafa Badriddine, I asked his pals who attended, “Can you describe Sayyed Badriddine in a single word?” Puzzled, they all replied, “Zulfiqar”
{Abbas Fneish}
Bibliography Sources:
Edition.cnn.com {by Hamid Alkhshali and Faith Karimi, CNN}
Alwaght, news and Analysis. {Alwaght.com} “Hezbollah investigates martyrdom of top commamder Mustafa Badriddine.”
www.newsjs.com {Badreddine: A Hezbollah chief mysterious in life and death.}
www.shoah.org.UK Novanews {who is Mustafa Badriddine?}
www.shoah.org.UK Novanews {American Herald Tribune}
Wikipedia.org
www.theguardian.com {Mustafa Badriddine: the Hezbollah leader who left no footprints.}
To know more about Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, please refer www.palestinefacts.org {why did Israel invade Lebanon in 1982?}
The Iran project.com
Tasnim news agency, Tehran.
Uprooted Palestinians blogspot.in {Hours in the company of 110, Abbass Fneish}
Hezbollah: The story from within. By, Naim Qassem {The Ansariya operation}
English.al-akhbar.com {by Yahya Dbouk}