A man who “saved many lives” and earned the trust and respect of his colleagues is now gravely ill and urgently needs £2,000 to fund life-saving heart surgery. Akeel Al Aboodi, who worked as a contractor in Basra, Iraq, is currently receiving hospital treatment for a serious heart condition and requires a bypass operation.
A Trusted Right-Hand Man in Iraq
Akeel was a key part of Dougie Durrant’s private security team in Iraq from 2003 to 2007, during the war. His “courage, local knowledge and sound judgement” made him a well-respected and trusted figure, described by Dougie as his “right-hand man”. Dougie, who went to Iraq to train high-risk security teams, said he quickly came to value Akeel’s “judgement, loyalty and ability to remain calm under pressure”.
Dougie recalled to The Express several hair-raising moments where Akeel’s “composure” helped steer the team through “situations that could easily have ended in bloodshed”.
Standoffs and Narrow Escapes
While based in a villa in Basra, the pair faced a tense situation which Akeel helped de-escalate. Dougie recalled: “One day, two armed local men arrived at the front gate and demanded to see me. I called for Akeel, and we went out together. I was carrying my CZ75 pistol, while Akeel had his AK-47.”
“Akeel took over the conversation. He made it clear that the Land Cruiser was not for sale and that threatening us would not change the answer. He then warned them that, if they returned, 'Mr Dougie' would not be so accommodating. With those words of advice, they walked away.”
Just days later, the pair were stopped by armed, masked men at an airport bridge. With weapons pointed at them, Dougie, Akeel and his team were ordered to pull over. Akeel began talking, working to keep the man's attention and persuade him to let the group continue. “His voice remained steady despite the weapons around us”, added Dougie.
Dougie said: “I was convinced they intended to take our weapons and vehicles, kill us and throw our bodies from the bridge. That was my assessment of the situation, and every passing minute reinforced it.” Once their vehicles were in position, Dougie walked back to Akeel and the man, and said: “‘Akeel, translate this,’ I said. ‘Tell him I know he wants to kill us. But if he looks over his right and left shoulders, he’ll see PKMs trained on him and his men.’” The man looked in both directions, then began shouting, but Akeel intervened and made the warning clear. “To my surprise, they lowered their weapons.”
A few weeks later, while returning from the airport, their convoy was approached by two police 4x4s carrying masked men armed with AK-47s. They pointed their weapons towards the vehicles and repeatedly fired into the air. Akeel, driving the lead vehicle, maintained a steady course for approximately five miles despite the tension and lack of ballistic protection. Dougie said: “They subsequently shot and killed another security team farther along the route, a team that, as I understood it, had reacted to their presence.”
Health Decline and Fundraising Appeal
Dougie and Akeel have remained close over the years, but Akeel’s health has deteriorated following a series of serious medical setbacks. In 2025, Akeel suffered a stroke and a fall which resulted in a broken hip. He has since developed a serious heart condition and is currently receiving hospital treatment in Basra, where he urgently requires life-saving heart bypass surgery.
A GoFundMe appeal has been launched to raise the funds needed for the surgery. Paying tribute to his friend, Dougie said: “To me, Akeel was far more than an interpreter. He was a trusted colleague, a loyal friend and a man whose judgment helped bring people home alive. He saved our lives; now it's time for us to save him; it’s that simple.”
