Those who joined the Aylul Revolution Army were several different groups within Kurdish society. The first group were those known as the comrades of Barzani, who went to the Soviet Union with President Mustafa Barzani in 1947. This group had extensive experience in fighting and confronting the enemy, as some of them were combatants in the first and second Barzan revolutions, and later, within the framework of the Barzan force, they protected the Republic of Kurdistan from enemies alongside General Barzani. This group was skilled in mountain warfare and precise defensive tactics, and most importantly, they were prepared to sacrifice their lives and souls for the sake of Kurdistan and Barzani, who was the leader of the revolution.
The second group of Peshmerga who joined the ranks of the revolution were the patriotic officers who held responsibilities within the ranks of the Iraqi Army, including: Colonel Taha Bamarni, Colonel Abdulrahman Qazi, Lieutenant Colonel Nafiz Jalal, Lieutenant Colonel Aziz Akrayi, and Sheikh Reza Gulani, who was a police officer. The arrival of these officers into the revolution had a significant impact because they were familiar with the plans and tactics of the Iraqi Army and were experts in the use of weapons, artillery, wireless communication, etc. Furthermore, their arrival had a negative impact on the ranks of the enemy army, as they were familiar with the mountainous regions, and had they not left the Iraqi Army, they would have become guides for the Iraqi Army and could have dealt fatal blows to the Kurdistan Revolutionary Army.
The third group were those hot-blooded youths who were engaged in political work within the ranks of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, but after the outbreak of the revolution, a large number of them left the cities and joined the ranks of the revolution. Their arrival into the revolution was important because they were educated, and each of them possessed a specialty that was utilized in the areas under the control of the revolution. The fourth group, which made up the majority of the revolutionary army, were Kurdish farmers, workers, and youths whose only wish in life was the liberation of the land of Kurdistan. This group served the revolution with their lives and property; the men of the families carried weapons on their shoulders for defense, and the women provided bread, water, and other necessities for the Peshmerga, whatever they could manage. The fourth group was the vibrant force of the revolution, and without them, the revolution could never have continued for fourteen years amidst so many enemies.
The fifth group were Kurds from the North, East, and West who believed in the cause of their nation and considered the struggle of every part as a duty. Furthermore, in the Aylul Revolution, the national and religious components of Kurdistan participated and played a significant role, such as Christians, Yazidis, and Turkmen. The participation of these national and religious components stems from the lack of discrimination between Kurds and those components, meaning that the Iraqi government did not discriminate between them and oppressed them all equally, imprisoning them and stripping them of their rights. Likewise, the revolution did not discriminate between these components, viewing them all with the same eye, protecting them all, and not allowing any of these components to violate the rights of others.
When the Revolutionary Command Council was formed on October 4, 1964, under the leadership of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, the leadership of the revolutionary army was directly in Barzani's hands. Furthermore, the organization of its affairs according to Article 25 of the Constitution of the Revolutionary Command Council of Iraqi Kurdistan was as follows: A military section shall be formed in the Executive Office, whose task shall be to organize military affairs in the revolution and work to develop it in all aspects, and this section, in consultation with the Executive Office and the General Commander of the Revolution, shall issue all necessary regulations and instructions for this purpose.
Regarding the weapons of the Kurdistan Revolutionary Army; initially, the weapons in the hands of the Peshmerga consisted of Enfields, Brnos, Simonovs, machine guns, small mortars, and hand grenades. These weapons were obtained from several sources. The first source was Kurdish society, which during the Aylul Revolution was still a pastoral farming society, so many citizens had their own weapons, and when the revolution broke out, most of them joined the revolution with their own weapons. Also, when the revolution broke out, many military barracks, police stations, and outposts of the Iraqi Army fell into the hands of the Peshmerga, all of which contained various weapons that the Peshmerga seized. Another source of weapons was obtained from the attacks that Peshmerga detachments carried out against the Iraqi Army. Furthermore, after the revolution held its ground and became strong, the country of Iran, knowing that the revolution was a primary factor in the weakening of the Iraqi government—which they also desired—often assisted the revolution with heavy weapons.
Regarding the Peshmerga's clothing, all Peshmerga wore earthy-colored Rank and Chokhal, wore hats and shemaghs or keffiyehs, wore belts, and wore socks and leggings (puttees), appearing very agile and energetic. Occasionally, clothing and shoes were provided to the Peshmerga by the revolution. As for food, the backbone of the revolution was the food that villagers provided for the revolution, and whatever they found, they gave a portion to the Peshmerga; this was in addition to the food prepared at the Peshmerga headquarters. It is worth noting that in the Aylul Revolution, there was no difference whatsoever between the food of ordinary Peshmerga and officials, and they all had to eat the same food. This is also true for clothing, and officials had to wear the same earthy-colored clothing that the Peshmerga wore.
In the Aylul Revolution, being a Peshmerga was not a rank that could be easily attained. The citizen who wanted to become a Peshmerga had to be supported by a party headquarters, whether it was an organization, a district, or a branch. Furthermore, they had to serve as a Peshmerga on a trial basis for at least three months, during which their behavior, morals, and loyalty were monitored. Their physical ability and endurance of cold and heat were tested, and it had to be determined whether they could withstand long marches on foot and hunger, and only then were they allowed to carry the weapon of honor and defense of the homeland on their shoulders.
The Peshmerga of the Aylul Revolution had to undergo training. The most prominent training was the use of weapons, because this was important for defending themselves and the homeland. Also, other courses were held in the ranks of the Kurdistan Revolutionary Army, including courses for cadres, teachers, and medics. In terms of strengthening military capabilities, courses in radio, artillery, and engineering were also held. The opening of these courses took the revolution to another stage, and the Peshmerga defended themselves more skillfully and protected their fellow citizens.
As for what relates to responsibility in the revolution, the criteria for obtaining responsibility in the great Aylul Revolution were not random. Rather, the Peshmerga who was entrusted with responsibility, in addition to loyalty to the land, the homeland, and the leadership of the revolution, had to be calm and composed in times of crisis and have the ability to solve the problems of the Peshmerga and the problems of the citizens as well.
The Kurdistan Peshmerga Army was divided into several fronts at the beginning of the revolution, and each front was led by a capable and experienced Peshmerga who was a Head of Branch. After this, and specifically at the end of 1962, the army's organizations were changed and made more precise, becoming: squad, platoon, company, battalion, and each of these was managed by a squad leader, platoon leader, company commander, and battalion commander. The reason for this goes back to the heroism that the Peshmerga demonstrated on all fronts, and they were able to liberate a large amount of land and people and expand the borders of the liberated areas.
This division continued until after the Baathists took power in Iraq, but with the further expansion of the liberated area and the increase in the number of Peshmerga, in addition to the secession of a small minority in 1964, and also after the formation of the Revolutionary Command Council, the structure of the Peshmerga was reorganized and tasks and responsibilities were redistributed. This was an important development for the revolution and was later reflected in the field of resistance and defiance, and the Peshmerga, with their successive victories, proved that they are a force that cannot be pushed back and will not abandon their nation and homeland.
In the third volume and the first part of the book 'Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement', which was written by Masoud Barzani, who was himself a Peshmerga of the revolution and was aware of the details of the structure of the Kurdistan Revolutionary Army, he wrote: The army of the revolution was organized as follows:
General Commander: Mullah Mustafa Barzani.
Chief of Staff: Nuri Mullah Maruf.
The First Army in Badinan, its commander is Asad Khoshawi, and it consists of:
Zakho Force: under the command of Isa Siwar.
Duhok Force: under the command of Ali Khalil.
Sheikhan and Akre Force: under the command of Hasso Mirxan Dolamari.
The Second Army in Erbil: its commander is Rashid Sindi, and it consists of:
Safeen Force: under the command of Tahir Ali Wali.
Kawa Force in the Pishdar area: under the command of Hasso Mirxan Zhazhuki.
Betwata Force in the Betwata area: under the command of Ali Shaban.
The Third Army in Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk under the command of Colonel Aziz Akrayi, and it consists of:
Khabat Force: under the command of Abdulwahab Atrushi.
Qaradagh Force: under the command of Fazil Talabani.
Rizgari Force: under the command of Tariq Ahmed.
According to this, the Kurdistan Revolutionary Army consisted of three armies, and each army consisted of three or four forces, and no force had fewer than three battalions, and the battalions had to have at least three companies, and each company had three platoons or more, and each platoon had no fewer than three squads, and each squad included at least ten Peshmerga.
Sources:- Abdullah Mullazada, The Form of Military Organization of the Great Aylul Revolution, First Edition, Minara Printing House, Erbil-2020.
- Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Three-Part One, Rojhalat Printing and Publishing House.
- Najm al-Din al-Yusufi, The Glorious Aylul Revolution, Sharia College Press-1995.