Baghdad defender surrendered in exchange for freedom
The commander of Saddam Hussein’s elite Republic guard defending Baghdad struck a deal with US forces not to fight in exchange for his freedom, it has been reported.
French newspaper Le Monde said the commander, Maher Sufyan, reached an agreement with American forces in which he ordered his forces to surrender in exchange for his transfer by helicopter to an undisclosed safe haven.
Le Monde’s correspondent in Baghdad said that Sufyan ordered all Republican Guard forces to lay down their arms and go home.
Shortly thereafter a US helicopter took Sufyan from the Al Rashid camp, east of Baghdad, to an unknown location.
Maher Sufyan is not included on the “deck of cards” created by US defence officials to highlight the most wanted individuals from the Saddam Hussein government.
