Dujayl

Dujayl

Coordinate	33°50′20″N 44°14′53″E
Country	Iraq
Province	Salah al-Din
Language	Arabic
Race	Arab
Religions	Islam
Religion	Shi'a
Shi'a population	Majority
Historical Information
Important events	Dujayl massacre

Dujayl (Arabic: الدُجَيْل) is a city in Iraq with a majority of Shi'a citizens. Saddam Hussein killed some of the people of Dujayl in reaction to his unsuccessful assassination and was executed in 2006 with the charge of this killing. In 2014, ISIS made some attempts to take the city but they failed.

In some historical sources, two rivers are mentioned as Dujayl, one of which is near Baghdad and the other is in Khuzestan, Iran.

City of Dujayl

Ibn al-Athir a historian of the seventh/thirteenth century mentioned Dujayl, a city near Baghdad.

There is a city sixty km north of Baghdad named Dujayl, most citizens of which are Shi'a. Dujayl is one of the cities of Salah al-Din province. This city has many farms and most of its people are engaged in agriculture. The grave of Ibrahim b. Malik Ashtar is in the city.

In 2014, ISIS made several attempts to take this city but they failed. Also, a suicide bombing was made in the city which caused killing of several people.

Dujayl Massacre

Main article: Dujayl massacre

In the month of Ramadan, 1402/June-July 1982, Saddam Hussein visited Dujayl. After his entrance to the city, some members of al-Da'wa party tried to assassinate him, but they failed. After this failed assassination, Baath forces with the support of Iraqi air force attacked the city. In this attack, 148 people were killed some of whom were women and children. More than hundred thousand hectares of agricultural lands were destroyed by the government.

In 2006, Saddam Hussein was charged with Dujayl massacre and was executed.

Dujayl River

Based on sources, in the early centuries of Islam, there were rivers called Dujayl.

• There was a river north of Baghdad which was branched from Tigris river. There were many cities around this river. In hadiths from the Prophet (s), this river is mentioned. Mus'ab b. Zubayr fought with Abd al-Malik b. Marwan near this river and after being killed, he was buried there.

• Some sources mentioned a river in Khuzastan which is called Bahmanshir as Dujayl.