Outrage as Iraqi militia leader bizarrely claims Saddam Hussein was of 'Indian origin'

An Iraqi militia leader has bizarrely claimed that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was of Indian origin. 

Qais Al-Khazali, the secretary-general of the Asa'ib Ahl Al-Haq movement in Iraq, claimed in a sermon given on the Eid al-Fitr holiday that DNA analysis has revealed Saddam Hussein's Indian ancestry. 

Although reports following Saddam's arrest in 2003 focused on DNA analysis linking him to the corpses of his sons Uday and Qusay to confirm his identity, no leader had previously discussed the former president's origins. 

Al-Khazali did not explain how he arrived at his conclusion or identified the lineage of the former Iraqi president through gene testing.

Iraq, like several countries in the Middle East and around the world, has had problems with xenophobia and discrimination exacerbated by ethnic and sectarian conflict.

In Iraq "Arabness" is a politically charged aspect of identity and the term "Indian" is often used as a slur, while roughly two million Iraqis of African descent are largely marginalised in society. 

Al-Khazali reportedly relied on studies by Iraqi researchers that concluded that some tribes in the country have "Indo-Aryan" origins. However, the validity and reliability of these studies are difficult to verify.

While Arabs form the majority of Iraq's inhabitants, Kurds make up roughly 20% of the population, and there are other non-Arab minorities such as Turkmen and Assyrians.

The world is competing over best technological advancements, Iraqi politicians are fighting whether Saddam
was an Indian origin or not 🤦‍♂️

— MP Sarkawt Shams::النائب سەرکەوت شمس الدين (@MPSarkawtShams) April 22, 2023

Al-Khazali's statement sparked a backlash on social media.

Iraqi MP Sarkawt Shams said the comments highlight a serious problem in Iraqi society.

"The world is competing over best technological advancements, Iraqi politicians are fighting whether Saddam was an Indian origin or not," he said.