Jamal Azzam

Jamal al-Din Ibrahim Azzam, (1948-1973) was an Egyptian Army Captain. He led the main squad to attack the Port Tawfiq fort during October 1973 war(Yom Kippur war) and died on Saturday 6 October 1973.
Early life
Azzam was born in Dekernes-Daqahliah in 5 November 1948.
Career
Azzam joined the Egyptian Military Academy in 1966. After his graduation in 1968, he joined the special forces known as Sa‘ka forces. He was appointed a teacher at Sa‘ka forces School. He was an athlete and practiced more than a game, including gymnastics and judo. He represented Sa‘ka forces Open Fitness competitions and won many of them.
Port Tawfiq Battle and death
After increasing the readiness of the Egyptian armed forces in 1973. Captain Jamal Azzam joined one of the Sa‘ka units assigned to cross the Suez Canal and occupy the isthmus of Port Tawfiq after the destruction of its fort, in which the Israeli forces put great amount of weapons and equipment because of the vitality of the site. At 6:40 pm on October 6, 1973, the commander of the 43rd Battalion launched the main squad to attack the fort. During the crossing of the Canal, intensive fire opened on a boat of the squad, causing the injury of Captain Jamal Azzam; the leader of the squad, and the destruction of the boat.Then he swam with his soldiers to the east bank, and he climbed the dirt curtain to destroy one of the guns firing heavily from an opening of the fort threatening the rest of squad crossing the Canal. During his climb he was injured again. He threw a grenade in the opening that destroyed the gun and died. Then the Egyptian forces reached the dirt curtain and one of the platoons occupied the southern part of the fort and besieged the Israeli forces in it.

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