Jafar al-Askari

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Jafar Pasha al-Askari

In office
November 22, 1923 – August 3, 1924
November 21, 1926November 31, 1927
Monarch Faisal I
Preceded by Abd al-Muhsin as-Sa'dun (twice)
Succeeded by Yasin al-Hashimi
Abd al-Muhsin as-Sa'dun

Born 1887
Died 1936

Jafar Pasha al-Askari (جعفر العسكري)‎ (18871936) served twice as prime minister of Iraq: from November 22, 1923, to August 3, 1924; and from November 21, 1926, to December 31, 1927.

Askari served in the Ottoman Empire Army during World War I until he was captured by British forces moving into the Empire from Egypt. After escaping his captors, he fled eastward, where he was converted to the cause of Arab nationalism and joined forces with T. E. Lawrence (Lawerence of Arabia), together with his brother-in-law, Nuri as-Said, who would also serve as prime minister of Iraq. Askari took part in the attack on Damascus and supported placing Faisal on the Syrian throne. When Faisal was deposed by the French, he advocated granting him a new throne in Iraq.

As a reward for his loyalty, Faisal granted Askari several important cabinet positions, including minister of defense in the first Iraqi government. He served as prime minister twice, and was also minister of foreign affairs. Askari was minister of defense in Yasin al-Hashimi's government, when it was overthrown by Chief of Staff Bakr Sidqi in 1936, in Iraq's first coup. Askari was killed in the coup. A relative of Askari later avenged his death by assassinating Bakr Sidqi, together with Ali Jawwad, commander of the airforce, at the Mosul airport.

Political offices
Preceded by
Abd al-Muhsin as-Sa'dun
Prime Minister of Iraq
November 22, 1923August 3, 1924
Succeeded by
Yasin al-Hashimi
Preceded by
Abd al-Muhsin as-Sa'dun
Prime Minister of Iraq
November 21, 1926December 31, 1927
Succeeded by
Abd al-Muhsin as-Sa'dun
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