The continuation of operations and strikes by state forces in various areas had intensified and entered the ranks of the Peshmerga and partisan warfare. On 6 December 1986, a Peshmerga force under the command of Shimal Zebari, head of the Shekhan district committee, decided to set an ambush between Siwaretuka and Zawita, after receiving information that Iraqi army forces consisting of 2 armored vehicles and 2 other Iva vehicles with a military force were coming and going between Siwaretuka and Zawita early in the morning to control and protect the road, but their main goal was to prevent the movement of the Peshmerga in that area. [1] It is worth mentioning that part of the battles and operations of the Kurdistan Peshmerga Forces were in ambushes where they were able to inflict great damage on government forces. [2]

The Peshmerga forces assigned to carry out the operation consisted of 50 Peshmerga who had prepared themselves and drawn up this plan:

A group of 10 Peshmerga hid below the road until the government forces approached them, then blocked their path and opened fire.

Another group monitored the situation from the top of the road with heavy weapons such as machine guns and PKCs. If the first part of the Peshmerga carried out their task, they would defend the Peshmerga forces at the scene of the incident, target and shell military points in the vicinity, and also block these forces from coming from Duhok and Sarsing to help their wounded forces. [3]

All Peshmerga forces marched at night until they reached near the scene of the operation. Then, the group of Peshmerga who had planned to hide went to their place below the road and set an ambush. The second group was placed 300-400 meters away from the first group.

When the horizon brightened, the Peshmerga waited for the arrival of the military force, but it was delayed. The Peshmerga forces were somewhat worried due to their non-arrival. Instead, they suspected that they had been informed and their plans had been revealed. Therefore, they decided to target and open fire on any military vehicle that passed. It was 7 o'clock in the morning when suddenly an Iva full of soldiers came from Sarsing to Duhok. When the military vehicle reached them, they emerged from both sides below the road and opened fire with RPGs and Kalashnikovs and destroyed it. All its soldiers were killed except for one who survived and was taken prisoner. The Peshmerga entered among the dead soldiers and collected their weapons, which were Kalashnikovs.

During this time, a military force from Duhok and another from Sarsing arrived at the scene of the incident to help their soldiers. The Peshmerga and the soldiers fought each other and the battle heated up. The army's tanks and armored vehicles tried to reach the military Iva but could not due to the strong defense of the Peshmerga. The battle continued until noon. The Peshmerga gathered together and decided to withdraw. The Iraqi regime was very upset and worried about the actions of the Peshmerga because the Peshmerga attacked their forces whenever and wherever they wanted and caused them great damage. The Iraqi army shelled the Mizuri area in retaliation ([4]).

Sources:

  1. Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, volume 4, 1975-1990 Gulan Revolution, Part 2, First Edition, Ruksana Press, 2021.

  2. Shimal Zebari, Some hidden facts in Gulan Revolution , 1st edition, Rojhelat Press, Erbil – 2015.

  3. Siwaretuka/ https:// 3arf.org/wiki/

[1]- Shimal Zebari, Some hidden facts in Gulan Revolution , 1st edition, Rojhelat Press, Erbil – 2015, p. 352.

[2]- Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, volume 4, 1975-1990 Gulan Revolution, Part 2, First Edition, Ruksana Press, 2021, p. 62.

[3]- Shimal Zebari, same source, p. 352.

[4]- Shimal Zebari, same source, p. 354.