IDF Veteran and Secret Military Advisor to Kurdish Rebels Uri Sagie Dies at 92
Retired Brigadier General Uri (Tzuri) Sagie, a legendary figure in the Israel Defense Forces and known for his secret advisory role to Kurdish rebels in Iraq, was laid to rest on Thursday at the Tel Mond cemetery in the Sharon region. Sagie passed away at age 92 and was widely respected for his extensive military career spanning over three decades, which included participation in reprisal operations in the 1950s, the Suez Crisis, the Six-Day War, and the Yom Kippur War, as well as covert missions in Ethiopia, Iran, and Kurdistan.
Sagie, nicknamed "Shenkin" by friends, served in elite units such as Unit 101 and the Paratroopers Brigade, where he held various command and intelligence roles. Notably, he led the Israeli military mission in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1966, training Kurdish officers and fighters under Mustafa Barzani, earning legendary status among the Kurds for modernizing their combat tactics. His military service also included protecting oil facilities in Iran during the Shah's regime and participating in key battles like Mitla Pass.
The funeral was attended by hundreds, including former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon, retired generals Tal Russo, Uri Sagie, Yitzhak Mordechai, Yoram Yair, Amos Yaron, and Matan Vilnai, former police commissioner Asaf Hefetz, and other notable military figures. Sagie's widow, Tzippa, expressed gratitude to attendees, while his son Yair and grandchildren shared emotional tributes highlighting his courage, love for people, and dedication to the land.
Retired General Amos Yaron recalled Sagie as a brave and brilliant officer, describing him as "like a tree of the field," a symbol of a disappearing generation of IDF veterans. Sagie's post-military life was devoted to agriculture in the Moshav Kfar Hess, where he lived with his wife. He maintained close ties with former comrades through a group known as the "Einda Gang," who regularly met to sing patriotic songs and honor their shared legacy.
Sagie's death marks the loss of a revered military pioneer and a key figure in Israel's covert operations abroad, remembered for his loyalty, wisdom, and enduring impact on both Israeli and Kurdish military history.
