Raja Nawaf Farhan al-Mahalawi () was the Governor of

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

's Al Anbar

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

, serving from January 2005 until his death in May 2005.

Early life and pre-war career

Mahalawi was originally from Qaim in

Al Anbar Governorate Al Anbar Governorate (; ''muḥāfaẓat al-’Anbār''), or Anbar Province, is the largest governorate in Iraq by area. Encompassing much of the country's western territory, it shares borders with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The population ...

. He served as Mayor of the town during the tenure of

Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...

Governorship

Following the resignation of Abd al-Karim Barjas in July 2004, an interim governor filled the role of Governor of Anbar. Faisal Raikan al-Gut al-Nimrawi served as interim Governor until being forced out by tribal leaders in January 2005, and the Provincial Governing Council subsequently appointed al-Mahalawi as the new Governor.

Kidnapping and death

Mahalawi was kidnapped near Qaim on the morning of Tuesday 10 May 2005, whilst driving between Qaim and

Ramadi Ramadi ( ''Ar-Ramādī''; also formerly rendered as ''Rumadiyah'' or ''Rumadiya'') is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad and west of Fallujah. It is the capital and largest city of Al Anbar Governorate which shares borders with Syri ...

. Qaim was at the time the scene of intense fighting between US Forces and insurgents, with the fighting in Qaim being called a victory for the insurgents by

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (; , "Father of Musab, of Zarqa"; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel Nazal al-Khalayleh (), was a Jordanian militant jihadist who ran a training camp in Afghanistan. He became known after going to Iraq a ...

, the leader of

Al-Qaeda in Iraq Al-Qaeda in Iraq (; AQI), was a Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization affiliated with al-Qaeda. It was founded on 17 October 2004, and was led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi until its disbandment on 15 October 2006 after he was killed in a targ ...

. Following his kidnapping his abductors announced that they would hold him until US Forces pulled out of Qaim, however Lieutenant-Colonel Steven Boylan, a spokesman for US forces in Iraq, said: "We don't respond to insurgent or terrorist demands." Relatives of Mahalawi along with a government official announced that Mahalawi had been released on 15 May, although this later proved to be incorrect. Mahalawi was later handed to a different kidnapper cell. On 29 May, US Forces in Rawah came under heavy RPG and automatic rifle fire from

insurgents in a farmhouse. The US forces returned fire, killing 4 of the fighters and wounding 3 others. Mahalawi's body was then found inside the house. The body was found blindfolded and chained to a gas cylinder, and had suffered from a blow to the head. Mahalawi hadn't been shot, but had instead seemingly been killed by a falling piece of rubble that had fallen on him during the firefight. His body was identified by family members in Qaim on 30 May, and his death announced by Laith Kuba, a Government Spokesperson, on Tuesday 31 May. Of the four fighters killed by the US during the firefight 2 were from Syria, 1 from Algeria, and 1 from Jordan. Of the three injured 2 were Saudis, and 1 was a Moroccan. Following al-Mahalawi's death the Provincial Council elected

Maamoon Sami Rasheed al-Alwani Maamoon Sami Rasheed al-Alwani (born 1957) is an Iraqi politician, who served as governor of the Al Anbar province. He was appointed by the Anbar Provincial Council in May 2005, following the death of his predecessor, Raja Nawaf Farhan al-Mahala ...

as his successor.

References

Governors of Al Anbar Governorate {{Governors of Anbar