This battle constituted a strong blow dealt by the Peshmerga forces belonging to the Kurdistan Democratic Party during Gulan Revolution to one of the Iraqi Army's outposts. On the night of August 12/13, 1985, when a force of Peshmerga belonging to the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Communist Party was touring the Batifa area in Duhok Governorate to inspect the ranks of the organizations and the citizens of the area, they decided to carry out one of the guerrilla warfare activities, so they designated the Karde Hol outpost for this purpose. The outpost was located west of the Batifa sub-district. The Peshmerga forces, within a well-executed plan, carried out the attack on the outpost at 12 midnight. A fierce battle took place, but due to the resistance of the outpost's soldiers and the calling for help from a military force belonging to the Batifa Brigade, the Peshmerga forces withdrew. One of the tasks of the Peshmerga was to spread the plan and program of the revolution and the goal of confronting the Iraqi government to the masses, among other things, through groups of cadres and Peshmerga who infiltrated the masses in the cities and villages of Kurdistan, and they visited the organizations and held meetings with them. They also invited others to make secret contacts with the ranks of the revolution's organizations in order to strengthen popular support and the ranks of the organizations and the Peshmerga. This was an effective way to deliver the principles of the revolution to the residents of cities and villages, and often the activities of the Peshmerga were included in the same tours, such as attacking military and security bases and headquarters.
In the year 1985, the Peshmerga forces in the Badinan area were constantly active to strengthen the ranks of the organization and carry out combat activities, and they were confronting government forces in several places and recording brilliant victories. In the month of August, a force of Peshmerga belonging to the Zakho Local Committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, along with the Third Company of the Iraqi Communist Party, conducted a joint tour to inspect the villages of the Batifa area in the Badinan region, to meet the masses and visit the revolution's organizations, in order to explain the policies and principles of the revolution and the struggle for freedom and democracy and to educate the masses about the authoritarian policy of the Ba'ath regime and the revolution's struggle to end it. The joint activity between Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Communist Party dates back to their alliance based on a unified front of Kurdish political parties known as the JAWAD Front, which was established on November 28, 1980.
After completing the first tour plan successfully, which included meetings with the residents and holding meetings, the Peshmerga forces decided to carry out a Peshmerga activity during the same tour, in order to convince the Ba'ath regime that the revolution is strong and capable of carrying out Peshmerga activities everywhere and inflicting losses on government institutions and military bases, and that it also enjoys strong popular support. On the other hand, it gives courage and morale to the masses and supporters of the revolution to give them more hope.
To carry out this operation, they designated the (Karde Hol) outpost located next to the town of Batifa in the western part. The Peshmerga forces, which had set the attack plan on the outpost, left in the darkness of the night of August 12/13, 1985, starting to reach the outpost and open a safe road.
They began removing the mines around the outpost by a number of Peshmerga mine-clearing experts, which the Iraqi Army had planted around all its camps and military bases to protect itself from the threat of the Peshmerga. After clearing the road of mines, they removed the only obstacle to reaching it and decided to approach the outpost and attack it. At 12 midnight, they reached its outskirts and carried out the attack at a striking time. A fierce battle began and lasted for a while, and despite the intense resistance from the outpost's soldiers, the Peshmerga were able to enter it. Several hand grenades were thrown towards the Peshmerga, and the neighboring outposts and forces belonging to the Batifa Brigade opened fire and rescued the besieged soldiers, and a number of Peshmerga members were wounded in this attack. Due to the intense resistance and the brigade and neighboring outposts rescuing the besieged, the Peshmerga forces could not continue the fighting, but rather tried to transport the wounded Peshmerga and evacuate them from the area. Then the Iraqi Army began shelling the area with artillery, and as a result, the Peshmerga forces retreated to the village of Bighbara, and they treated the wounded and then moved away from the area.
Sources:1- Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Four, 1975-1990 Gulan Revolution, Part Two, First Edition, (Roxana Printing House - 2021).
2- Muhammad Murad, The Struggle of the Mountains: Memories and Events of the Gulan Revolution between the years (1976-1989), (Kurdistan Printing House – Zakho - 2007).
3- Jamal Fathullah Tayeb, The Kurdish Liberation Movement in Southern Kurdistan, First Edition, (Shahab Printing House - Erbil - 2012).