Saddam Hussein appoints his son as leader of the army in northern Iraq

Saudi sources stated yesterday that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein appointed his youngest son, Qusai as the leader of the army units authorized to respond to the Turkish invasions in northern Iraq.

The sources quoted an Iraqi official as saying that Saddam formed a special force from the Iraqi army, which he called "the great retaliation" and he authorized it to confront any danger in northern Iraq.

The sources added that Qusai has recently occupied many serious posts in the Iraqi leadership, among which is the deputy commander of the Iraqi armed forces, due to cancer from which Vice President Izzat Ibrahim suffers.