Safwan

Safwan (Arabic: صفوان‎) is a town in southeast Iraq on the border with Kuwait. It was the site of an Iraqi Air Force base.

Iraqi general Sultan Hashim Ahmad at Persian Gulf War ceasfire talks in Safwan, Iraq, on March 3, 1991 with American interpreter Rick Francona
For the medieval Andalusian poet, see Ṣafwān ibn Idrīs.

Etymology

The city of Safwan is attributed to its founder Safwan bin Assal Al Muradi Al Yamani, a companion of Prophet Muhammad who participated in the conquest of Iraq in the middle ages. He settled in Kufa, northeast of Najaf at first but then moved to Safwan, south of Basra along with his tribe who later named the city in his name.

Safwan is part of the Az Zubayr district south of Basra and has a population of 70,000 people.

History

During Muhammad's era
Main article: List of expeditions of Muhammad

Muhammad ordered a Military expedition in Safwan. The expedition was ordered by Muhammad after he received intelligence that Kurz ibn Jabir al-Fihri rustled some grazing cattle belonging to Muslims. It occurred directly after the Invasion of Waddan in the year 2 AH of the Islamic calendar. The expedition was ordered by Muhammad after he received intelligence that Kurz ibn Jabir al-Fihri rustled some grazing cattle belonging to Muslims. Therefore, Muhammad directed about 70 Muslims, who chased him to Safwan, at the outskirts of Badr. But Kurz ibn Jabir al-Fihri managed to escape.[1][2][3]

Persian Gulf War

Safwan is located in the south of Iraq at Iraqi Kuwaiti border, along the infamous Highway of Death from the Persian Gulf War. The cease-fire negotiations between General Norman Schwarzkopf and the Iraqi delegation led by Lieutenant General Sultan Hashim Ahmad took place at Safwan airfield. Schwarzkopf's demand to hold the formal cease-fire negotiations in Iraqi territory led to the encounter between the 1st squadron, 4th Cavalry regiment (Quarterhorse) from Ft. Riley, Ks. of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) and the Iraqi Republican Guard, known in military circles as The Ultimatum. This was detailed in the book Third Graders At War, as well as the book Road to Safwan.

See also

References
  1. Al-Mubarakpuri, Saifur Rahman (2002), When the Moon Split, DarusSalam, p. 147
  2. Strauch, Sameh (2006), Biography of the Prophet, Darussalam Publications, p. 400, ISBN 978-9960-9803-2-4
  3. Hawarey, Dr. Mosab (2010). The Journey of Prophecy; Days of Peace and War (Arabic). Islamic Book Trust. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22.Note: Book contains a list of battles of Muhammad in Arabic, English translation available here


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