The continuation of the Peshmerga's activities had widely expanded the border of the battle and confrontation between the Peshmerga Forces and the Iraqi army and armed forces, covering most of the various regions. Certainly, the Peshmerga Forces, in order to defend the rights of the nation, were always looking for the opportunity to strike fatal blows at the government's military forces wherever they could, and to convey the message of protest and taking a stance regarding the violation of the rights of the Kurd to public opinion. In this instance of the Peshmerga Forces' activity, which took place on the night of January 10-11, 1988, it was an attack on the 6th Special Battalion in Mandil, 5 km from the city of Chamchamal. After the Peshmerga Forces' commanders consulted and exchanged views on carrying out an activity with the aim of striking a blow at the government forces, they drew up the attack plan and then stormed the battalion's headquarters.
The Peshmerga attack on the Iraqi government's military forces was with the participation of the Peshmerga of the Chamchamal, Shwan, and Bazian district committees, the Ranjdaran organization, and a force from the headquarters of the 3rd Branch of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. It is clear that during that period, the Peshmerga Forces were organized within the framework of the party's organizational structure, such as branches, districts, and organizations. After the map and plan for carrying out the Peshmerga activity in that border area were drawn up, and after the preparations were completed and the start time was set, the attack on that Iraqi army battalion began. With the first Peshmerga assault, it did not take long, and within 40 minutes, they seized the battalion's headquarters. As a result, 14 mercenary gunmen and an officer with the rank of Captain were killed, and 37 were taken prisoner. It is clear that in that battle, the government forces' losses were high; as far as is known, they consisted of the explosion of the battalion's depot, the burning of 40 military tents, and the burning of 3 Toyota vehicles and two military Eva vehicles.
In that battle, the Peshmerga Forces had many gains, such as seizing 2 Nissan pickup vehicles, one Corona Toyota, one Land Cruiser, a large vehicle for transporting equipment, 4 Kalashnikov-type weapons, 6 (RPG)s and 40 (RPG) shells, one (PKC) machine gun, 2 binoculars, and a telephone device.
In recording that epic, the Peshmerga Forces were not without losses, as 4 Peshmerga were martyred, by the names of Salih Muhammad Star, known as Rebwar, who was a Peshmerga of the branch headquarters; Rizgar Hamid, a Peshmerga of the Chamchamal district committee; Jabar Ghafur, known as Diwana, a Peshmerga of the Shwan district committee; Salih Muhammad Salih, known as Mam Salih, a Peshmerga of the Tuz district committee; and 13 other Peshmerga were also wounded.
There is no doubt that such activities of the Peshmerga Forces played a positive and important role in raising the morale of the Peshmerga and bringing joy to the hearts of the masses, in that the strength and power of the revolution were at such a level that whenever they intended, wherever it might be, they would strike the government forces. At the same time, it caused great fear and anxiety within the ranks of the military forces, and they were forced to resort to shelling and bombing the villages of Kurdistan to dispel that fear and anxiety.
Sources:1- Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Four, 1975-1990 Gulan Revolution, Part Two, First Edition, (Ruxana Printing House - Erbil - 2021).
2- Ghazi Adil Gardi, A Peshmerga in the Service of the Barzani Path, Haji Birokhi, Volume Two, Second Edition, (Turkey - 2021).
3- Shimal Zebari, Some Hidden Truths in the Gulan Revolution, First Edition, (Rojhalat Printing House - Erbil - 2015).