Yasser Salihee
Yasser Salihee (June 30, 1974 – June 24, 2005) was an Iraqi doctor and journalist from Baghdad. After the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, he worked for U.S. media, including NPR and Knight Ridder, combining his medical skills with reporting. In 2005 he began investigating torture and killings by the Wolf Brigade, an Iraqi Interior Ministry unit. He reported on police abuses and the dangers of daily life in Baghdad, and he sometimes used his medical training to help the wounded.
On June 24, 2005, while driving home in western Baghdad, Salihee was killed by a U.S. Army sniper at an unmarked checkpoint. Eyewitnesses gave different accounts of what happened, but the shooting occurred as his car approached the checkpoint and he stopped. The American soldiers left the area after the shooting. An Army investigation concluded the kill was within the rules of engagement, though the case was controversial and some described it as a cover-up. The sniper later faced unrelated legal problems.
Salihee’s death drew international attention and highlighted the dangers journalists faced in Iraq. Colleagues remembered him as a brave, principled reporter who sought truth and used his medical skills to help others.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 11:41 (CET).