After the Ba'athists seized power in Iraq through a military coup, they stopped their war and attacks on Kurdistan for three months, but it did not take long before the Ba'athist attacks on Kurdistan began again. The plan of the Iraqi Army this time was such that it had placed the full weight of its forces on the Spilik area in order to reach Barzan from there and be able to fully take control of that region.
The government forces in this attack consisted of the 2nd Division force, which was composed of the (2nd, 5th, 19th, 25th, 27th, 29th) Brigades, commanded by Brigadier General Ibrahim Faisal al-Ansari, who was appointed as the general supervisor of that military campaign. Also, Brigade Commander Saeed Hamo was given full authority due to his grudge and deep hatred towards the leadership of the revolution and the Kurdish people.
On June 29, 1963, a major battle took place in the Kori Pass, which continued until the evening. As a result, the Peshmerga withdrew from that pass, but they could not establish a defensive line in the Mirawa gorge, Harir Plain, and other places until they reached the heights of Spilik. From there, they were distributed over strategic locations and blocked the advances of the Iraqi Army. The government forces also reached the Harir Plain and established a military base.
The general command of the Peshmerga force in that epic was entrusted to Brigadier General Kafi Nabawi, and the commanders of the forces were Haji Birokhi, Kako Mergasori, Mustafa Nerwayi, Mullah Amin Hostani, Jadir Gwezi, Hama Ziad Faqiani, Izzat Suleiman Beg Dargali, Hamid Biri, and Sergeant Yasin, who were each stationed in one flank of the battle.
The Iraqi Army's plan to attack Barzan was intended to be carried out by two divisions at the same time: the First Division in Piras Mountain and the Second Division in Spilik. This was after the Peshmerga force retreated from Haybat Sultan, and the government slipped part of its forces into those forces that were in the Harir Plain. However, the Third Brigade in Khalifan and Balakian was besieged by the Peshmerga force, their supplies and food were cut off, and they were close to surrendering, but when another Iraqi military force reached the Harir Plain, their hope returned. Also, Hussein Surchi, the official of the hired gunmen (Jash), helped them with supplies and food.
For a while, the forces had taken positions against each other, and in Bani Harir, a Peshmerga force was stationed. Together, they did not allow the Iraqi Army to advance in the Harir Plain. One day, a military helicopter was flying over the Peshmerga positions in the Spilik heights, and the Peshmerga, each from their own place, opened a barrage of bullets at it. The aircraft left the area in a hurry and landed in the Harir Plain. After this, the Iraqi Army began an intense bombardment of the Peshmerga positions and set fire to the area.
Sometimes, due to the lack of harmony among the Peshmerga commanders and their failure to return for coordination and consultation with each other, a negative impact on the balance of power and the emergence of chaos within the ranks and the collapse of morale in the Peshmerga positions comes into existence.
A Peshmerga force was sent by Colonel Aziz Akrayi to Spilik to support that battle front, although he had no responsibility in that axis. One night, a Peshmerga force commanded by Suleiman Shawli Shanadari, without coordination with Brigadier General Kafi Nabawi, was sent to the village of Bardina in the south of Spilik, under the pretext of disarming the village residents, as it seemed they were suspected of cooperating with the Iraqi Army. The people of the village resisted the Peshmerga, and a major battle broke out between them. The Peshmerga official Suleiman Shawli Shanadari and three Peshmerga were martyred, and their bodies were left on the battlefield. When the news reached the Peshmerga force, another force commanded by Haji Birokhi, to support the first force, attacked the village gunmen from the Senawa line. Although they defeated them, four Peshmerga were martyred from their force and two were wounded, and later they withdrew their forces.
After the discord and chaos that arose within the Peshmerga force, the Iraqi Army on July 15, 1963, began a widespread attack on the Spilik front. At the same time, rumors spread among the Peshmerga that the siege on the 3rd Brigade in Khalifan had been lifted and they had taken control of Gali Ali Beg. Therefore, after a battle of several hours, the Peshmerga force withdrew from the Spilik heights on July 16, and the Iraqi Army took control of it.
References:1- Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Three, Part One, Aylul Revolution 1961-1975, First Edition 2004.
2- Ghazi Adil Gardi, A Peshmerga in the Service of the Barzani Path, Haji Birokhi, Volume One, Second Edition, Turkey, 2021.
3- Zarar Suleiman Beg Dargali, My Memoirs in the Years 1943-1977.
4- Shawkat Mullah Ismail Hassan, Days in the History of the Aylul Revolution, First Edition, Erbil, 2007.
5- Ari Karim, Some Living Pages in the Aylul Revolution, Khabat Press, Duhok 1999.
6- Haji Mirxan Dolamari, Searching for Justice, Volume One, Second Edition, Isra Press, Tehran, 2021.