▁ 9 8 , ▁in ▁ 2 2 ▁families . ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁Category : Pop ulated ▁places ▁in ▁Son q or ▁County <0x0A> </s> ▁Naj ah ▁Hass an ▁Ali ▁al - Sh amm ari ▁( born ▁ 2 0 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 7 ) ▁is ▁a ▁Swedish - I ra qi ▁politician ▁and ▁former ▁major ▁general ▁in ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Army ▁who ▁is ▁the ▁current ▁defence ▁minister ▁of ▁Ira q . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Al - Sh amm ari ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Bag hd ad . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁Sun ni ▁Arab ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Sh am mar ▁tribe ▁( one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁and ▁most ▁influ ential ▁Arab ▁tribes ). ▁Al - Sh amm ari ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Military ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁with ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁military ▁science . ▁He ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁strateg ic ▁planning ▁for ▁national ▁security . ▁Al - Sh amm ari ▁later ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁commander ▁in ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Forces ▁and ▁has ▁held ▁many ▁military ▁positions ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁He ▁retired ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁general . ▁ ▁Def ence ▁minister ▁▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁al - Sh amm ari ▁was ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁parliament ▁as ▁defence ▁minister ▁of ▁Ira q ▁in ▁Ad il ▁Abd