Mehdi Bakeri

Mehdi Bakeri
Born 1954
Miandoab, West Azerbaijan, Iran Iran
Died March 16, 1985 (aged 31)
East of Tigris River, Majnoon Island,  Iraq
Allegiance  Iran
Commands held Najaf Ashraf Brigade (deputy)
Ashura Brigade
31st Ashura Division
Battles/wars

Iran–Iraq War

Awards 2nd grade Fath Medal[1]
Relations Hamid Bakeri
Ahmad Bakeri

Mehdi Bakeri (1954-16 March 1985) was an Iranian war hero in the Iran–Iraq War.[2][3] He was graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tabriz. During the Iranian revolution of 1979 he joined the protesters. After the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war he joined to the Sepah. He was killed in a combat by Iraqi troops in eastern Iraq.[4][5]

Early life

Bakeri (1954 – 16 March 1985) was born in Miandoab, West Azerbaijan Province in a religious Iranian Azerbaijani family. He lost his mother when he was a child. His brother actively participated in opposition groups that opposed the Shah's regime and finally was killed by the regime. Bakeri might have entered these groups through his brother. After graduating from high school he was accepted by the University of Tabriz in Mechanical Engineering. When he entered the university, he continued his activities against the regime. Bakeri and his friends played an important role in holding protests against regime in Tabriz.[6] According to classified documents, he was under surveillance of West Azerbaijan's SAVAK.[7]

Career

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and formation of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, he joined this institution. Bakeri served as mayor for nine months and later as the public prosecutor of Urmia, West Azerbaijan.

His wedding party was the same day as the start of Iran-Iraq war. He left his family for joining the Iranian forces in the the battlefront just two day later.[7] He was appointed as the commander of the Ashura Corps, unit 31, and showed great courage and bravery in combat against the Iraqi forces.[8]

Operations

Bakeri participated in several operations:

Death

In Operation Badr (1985), as most of the times, he was in the most dangerous region of the battlefront. He got killed by Iraqi troops in the north of Iraqi city of Al-Qurnah. The boat which was carrying his corpse, sunk in the river of Arvand Rud (Shatt al-Arab) after hitting by an Iraqi RPG. His body has never been found.[7]

Memorial

He is highly revered as one of the greatest Iranian war heroes. Bakeri Expressway, in western Tehran, has been named after him.[8] Tractor Stadium, in Tabriz, has also been renamed after him as "Tractor's Shahid Bakeri Stadium".

See also

References

External links


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