Izzat Ibrahim al‑Douri (Arabic: عزة إبراهيم الدوري ‘Izzat Ibrāhīm ad‑Dūrī; 1 July 1942 – 26 October 2020) was a senior Iraqi political and military figure who remained influential through the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Background

Born in Ad‑Dawr in Saladin Province, near Tikrit, Douri came from the Sunni Arab community and was identified with Sufi traditions. He rose through the ranks of the Ba'athist state during the presidency of Saddam Hussein.

Positions and roles

  • He served as a high‑ranking official of the Iraqi state, often described as one of Saddam’s closest lieutenants and a leading figure in the Ba'ath Party.
  • From 1979 until the 2003 U.S.‑led invasion of Iraq, Douri held the office commonly referred to as Vice President and acted as vice chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council—positions that placed him among the top echelons of the Iraqi leadership.
  • After the 2003 overthrow of Saddam’s government, he was reported to have taken a leading role in insurgent activities and was associated with the group known as the Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order.

Reports of his death and later confirmation

On 17 April 2015 authorities and some news outlets reported that Douri had been killed in a car bombing in or near Tikrit. The claim was complicated by unsuccessful DNA tests that did not definitively confirm his identity, and footage released about a year later showed him alive.

Death

Douri died in Iraq on 26 October 2020 at the age of 78. Reports indicated the cause was leukemia.

For further context on the 2003 military action that ended the Ba'athist government, see the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.