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Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Dhi Qar deadly drill drives Iraq to rethink military training
Shafaq News/ The recent deaths of two cadets during a training exercise in Dhi Qar have reignited longstanding concerns about Iraq's military education model, which critics argue remains locked in outdated Cold War–era doctrines. Far from being an isolated lapse, the tragedy reflects deep structural and philosophical shortcomings that, if unaddressed, risk perpetuating preventable losses and undermining Iraq's future defense capability. Legacy Systems vs. Modern Needs Iraq's military training institutions continue to rely on rigid, antiquated protocols that prioritize physical endurance over tactical readiness and psychological resilience. Adnan Al-Kanani, a retired military instructor, explains that military education is divided into two main phases: a three-month 'basic training' at foundational schools, followed by branch-specific academies (e.g., infantry, engineering, logistics, armored units). Elite forces—such as special operations—undergo additional courses, including parachuting and advanced assault techniques. 'Training begins with theoretical instruction and gradual exposure to physical stress,' notes Alaa Al-Nashou, another retired instructor. 'The first 45 days are supposed to focus on adjusting the cadet mentally and physically to the military environment. Only afterward do they advance to intensive field training and combat simulations.' Under these curricula—formally vetted by military education authorities—each session is prescribed by strict 'training cards.' Deviations can lead to disciplinary action or even military prosecution. In theory, this ensures uniformity; in practice, however, oversight is weak, coordination between institutions is poor, and some instructors resort to personal improvisation, perpetuating outdated beliefs about 'breaking in' new soldiers. In neighboring Jordan and Egypt, military academies have shifted in recent years to emphasize tactical simulations and stress inoculation techniques over brute endurance—a model Iraq has yet to emulate, italicized by regional military analysts. Fatal Drill in Dhi Qar On May 21, 2025, seven cadets at the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar were hospitalized—and two succumbed to dehydration and heatstroke—after enduring prolonged drills under direct sunlight without access to water, despite wearing civilian clothing during their first day of training. Mustafa Ajeel, Advisor to the Iraqi Parliament's Security and Defense Committee, condemned the incident as 'entirely preventable' and labeled it 'a case of gross mismanagement.' 'There was a complete disregard for even the most basic health and safety protocols,' Ajeel said. According to survivors, the cadets were marched across open ground in extreme heat, with no pauses for hydration. By the time instructors recognized signs of distress—confusion, collapse, rapid heartbeat—it was too late. Exposing Structural and Philosophical Flaws Alaa Al-Nashou emphasizes that the Dhi Qar incident was not merely procedural but structural. By exposing fresh recruits to intensive field drills from day one, instructors violated the intended progression from classroom instruction to physical conditioning. 'Losses do happen during advanced training—but not like this, and not this early,' Nashou said. 'This was negligence, plain and simple.' Despite official curricula mandating a gradual build-up—45 days of mental and physical acclimation before rigorous exercise—many training centers still adhere to the notion that brutality equals discipline. Nashou warns that 'modern warfare demands intelligence, agility, emotional resilience, and above all, leadership,' qualities that cannot be forged by running cadets to collapse. On the other hand, Al-Kanani points out that, while formal structures exist, their enforcement is spotty. Inspectors rarely visit remote bases, and coordination between the Ministry of Defense and individual colleges is minimal. 'Instructors are expected to follow training cards, but there is no real accountability when they improvise,' Al-Kanani told Shafaq News. 'Outdated beliefs about 'breaking in' new soldiers are still prevalent.' Mustafa Ajeel corroborates this, noting that inspectors often find discrepancies between written protocols and actual practices. 'We've discovered that some academies ignore basic precautions during summer months,' Ajeel said. 'This pattern predates the Dhi Qar tragedy but was only exposed when lives were lost.' Inadequate medical support and nutrition services further compound the problem. Cadets frequently train on empty stomachs, and medical teams are ill-equipped to handle heatstroke or dehydration. Al-Kanani warns that, without systematic reform, 'Iraq's military education will remain an exercise in endurance rather than a science of readiness.' Government Response and Accountability In the days following the fatalities, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al- Sudani —also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces—ordered the immediate dismissal of the academy's president, deputy, and the battalion commander overseeing the drill. He convened an investigative board and granted the two fallen cadets promotions to second lieutenant posthumously. In addition, the Ministry of Defense revised training schedules: afternoon summer drills were canceled, and training hours were restricted to 6:00–10:00 a.m. and 5:00–9:00 p.m. to avoid peak heat. The Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee pledged to dispatch inspection teams nationwide. Mustafa Ajeel explained that these teams will 'review training conditions and adherence to modern protocols in military bases nationwide. These visits will help us determine where the system is breaking down.' Calls for Comprehensive Reform While the immediate policy changes address scheduling and chain-of-command accountability, experts insist that Iraq must undertake a deeper overhaul of its military education philosophy. Essential components include: Modern Training Tools: Investment in flight simulators, urban-combat mock-villages, and virtual-reality modules to replicate battlefield scenarios without endangering cadets. Psychological Preparedness: Embedding stress-management courses, resilience workshops, and mental-health screenings as core components of the initial 45-day phase. Enhanced Nutritional and Medical Services: Providing balanced meals, hydration stations, and medical personnel trained specifically in heat-related illnesses at every training facility. Instructor Accountability: Instituting an 'Instructor Accreditation Program' to ensure that all trainers meet global standards, with regular audits and disciplinary measures for deviations. 'Unless these long-overdue changes are implemented, the Dhi Qar tragedy risks being remembered not as a turning point—but as just another avoidable loss in a broken system,' Al-Nashou warned. Al-Kanani added that 'modern warfare requires more than just physical stamina—it demands intelligence, agility, emotional resilience, and above all, leadership. Continuing to treat new cadets with outdated methods risks not only lives but Iraq's future defense capability.'
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Health
- Rudaw Net
Tragic death of army cadets sparks national outcry in Iraq
Also in Iraq Coordination Framework delegation to visit Erbil amid Baghdad-KRG strain Kurdistan workers urge Iraq's top court to order salary release from Baghdad Iraq transfers military college cadets to Baghdad after tragic deaths Iraqi leaders receive Lebanese president for talks on bilateral ties, security A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has ordered an investigation into the deaths of two Iraqi army cadets and the illness of many others at a military college in the southern Dhi Qar province. Parliament has also called for accountability in the incident that saw 'over 100 cadets' suffer from extreme exhaustion due to high temperatures and intense physical exertion The Premier's Spokesperson Sabah al-Numan on Wednesday stated that Sudani 'directed the formation of an investigative council to identify those responsible and take legal action, following the deaths of two cadets from the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar Province and the illness of other cadets.' Sudani further dismissed the head of the military academy, his deputy, and the commanding officer of the regiment whose cadets were affected, Numan said. The Prime Minister also instructed that 'the rank of Second Lieutenant be posthumously awarded to the two deceased cadets,' making their families eligible for compensation granted to fallen soldiers. Earlier in the day, the Iraqi defense ministry stated that the cadets had joined the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar's provincial capital Nasiriyah on Sunday. During the reception process, 'nine cadets began showing signs of dehydration and health complications' due to prolonged sun exposure, the ministry noted, adding that 'they were immediately transported to Nasiriyah Hospital by the military college's medical team.' Initially, the ministry confirmed that one cadet succumbed to health complications, while six others recovered and are set to be discharged and two cadets remain under medical observation. Later, the Iraqi parliament's Security and Defense Committee stated that the death toll had risen to two, noting that it had formed a 'follow-up team' to investigate the incident thoroughly and 'ensure the safety of the cadets and improve their training conditions.' Importantly, the Committee noted that 'more than a 100 cadets' had 'suffered fainting and severe exhaustion' during the reception process and emphasized that it is 'closely monitoring the health status of the affected cadets to prevent future occurrences.
Rudaw Net
3 days ago
- Health
- Rudaw Net
Iraq transfers military college cadets to Baghdad after tragic deaths
Also in Iraq Coordination Framework delegation to visit Erbil amid Baghdad-KRG strain Kurdistan workers urge Iraq's top court to order salary release from Baghdad Iraqi leaders receive Lebanese president for talks on bilateral ties, security Baghdad decision not to send salaries 'political': Senior KDP official A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi army on Sunday transferred cadets from a military college in the southern Dhi Qar province to Baghdad for redistribution after extreme exhaustion and high temperatures in May led to the deaths of two cadets and the injuries of many others, state media reported. At least 100 students from the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar province suffered health complications in late May due to high temperatures and extreme physical exhaustion during a training session, which led to the deaths of two cadets and sent the injured to the hospital. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani quickly acted by dismissing the head of the military academy, Nasser Ghannam, along with his deputy and the commanding officer of the regiment whose cadets were affected. The Iraqi army on Sunday 'began transporting students from the Fourth Military College, from the college headquarters in Dhi Qar province to the capital Baghdad, and 15 buses were allocated for this purpose,' state media said. 'This measure comes as part of a plan to redistribute the students among military colleges in Taji, Duhok, and Sulaimani, according to the geographical area and in line with the training and organizational requirements of the military institution,' it added. After their deaths, Sudani also instructed the rank of Second Lieutenant to be posthumously awarded to the fallen cadets, making their families eligible for compensation. During the reception process on May 21, 'nine cadets began showing signs of dehydration and health complications' due to prolonged sun exposure, the Iraqi defense ministry noted, adding that 'they were immediately transported to Nasiriyah Hospital by the military college's medical team.' The Iraqi parliament's security and defense committee later said that more than 100 cadets had suffered fainting and severe exhaustion, and announced the formation of a follow-up team to investigate the incident.
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq military academy heads face court over cadet incident
Shafaq News/ Iraq's top investigative panel has concluded its inquiry into the recent cadet incident at the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar, a source familiar with the matter disclosed on Sunday. 'The committee submitted its report to Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, recommending legal action against the head of the Military Academy, the college dean, and the assistant dean,' the source told Shafaq News, pointing out that all three have been referred to military courts under Article 42(1) of the Iraqi Military Penal Code. The article outlines penalties of up to three months in prison for military personnel who disregard, alter, or exceed official orders. Repeat violations could carry a six-month sentence.
Shafaq News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq investigates cadet death at Dhi Qar Military College
Shafaq News/ A high-level Iraqi committee has launched an official investigation into the death and injuries of cadets at the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar, the Ministry of Defense announced Saturday. In a statement, the ministry confirmed that the inquiry is led by Ground Forces Commander Lt. Gen. Qassim Mohammed al-Muhammadi, along with senior intelligence, legal, and medical officers, noting, 'The delegation arrived at the college early in the day, inspected training areas and medical facilities, and began interviewing instructors and commanders.' Officials also visited al-Nasiriyah General Hospital to assess the condition of hospitalized cadets and speak with medical personnel. Injured students were interviewed prior to their transfer to Baghdad for further treatment, as the committee seeks a full account of the circumstances leading to the incident. It further pledged to continue the investigation until full accountability is achieved and structural reforms are implemented. On Friday, two cadets died and several others were hospitalized after reportedly being denied drinking water at the Fourth Military College, prompting Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani to dismiss the college's leadership, suspend them from duty, and order a formal investigation.
