Atrosh is the oldest sub-district in Kurdistan, located in the Badinan region in the Sheikhan district. The majority of the population are Kurdish Muslims, while Christians and Yazidis also make up a part of the population. It is clear that Atrosh, like all other areas of Kurdistan, has had its villages destroyed many times at the hands of the Ba'ath regime, because in terms of revolution and resistance, the residents of the area have always been in support of the revolution([1]), therefore the government launched military campaigns against it in order to reduce the influence of the Kurdish revolution and bring it back under the control of the state.

One of the battles that took place in that area was a large and widespread attack by the Iraq army on January 4, 1987, which advanced into the area with a large force. It first took control of the roads to the two towns of Sarsing and Bamarni, and brought a large force to Dereluk and Sheikhan. At the same time, the revolution's leadership was notified by telegram from the Sheikhan and Akre area committees that there was military movement in Bakrman, Atrosh, Kore Gavana, Bagera, and Swaratuka([2]), and so on January 5, 1987, the Iraq army in the Sheikhan area, after 12 midnight, with the support of mercenary gunmen (Jash), attacked the Peshmerga positions. Also, another force of mercenaries that had come from the Soran region participated in the battle. All the forces gathered in the Gali Qirki Sheikh Hadi, set up artillery, and were divided into four axes:

  1.  The Atrosh axis to the Kanika fortress([3]) up to the top of Birokiyat, the Peshmerga forces and a popular defense force from the villages of Kanika, Birokiyat, Shkewte, Kani Mazi, and Bebadi confronted them.
  2.  The Nasra to Hasnaka axis, which was repelled by the Peshmerga forces and the popular defense forces of the villages of Nasra and Hasnaka.
  3. The Barash Siyar and Spindara axis, along with two organizations of Peshmerga forces and popular defense, Siyar and Spindar and the surrounding villages entered into battle([4]), given that at that stage of the revolution, all battalions and forces had been dissolved, all Peshmerga forces were organized according to the party structure within the framework of organizations and areas([5]).
  4.   The Bakrman and Cham Rbatke Sidra axis, where a Peshmerga force led by Tamar Kocher and the popular defense force confronted them. That night until morning, a heavy battle continued from all four axes, but the government could not advance. By morning, it began shelling and bombing by aircraft in the Barwari and Mizuri areas. Women and children, to hide from the shelling and bombing by aircraft, abandoned their villages and, in that cold winter, headed to the caves, valleys, and streams of Gara Mountain. All the others who could carry weapons headed to the battlefront([6]).

As stated in a telegram from the Sheikhan area of the Peshmerga forces to the revolution leadership, on 6 of January 1987 the government attacked the Kanika fortress three times from the Atrosh axis and was defeated all three times. Then, guided by some mercenaries (Jash) and the Maghawir forces, they infiltrated the Kanika fortress and martyred a Communist Party Peshmerga, and his body fell into the hands of the government forces that participated in that battle. On the evening of the same day, the government force reached Hasnaka, and a number of Jash leaders and advisors participated in the battle. Warplanes and helicopters carried out more than twenty airstrikes on the battlefronts. Although the government forces suffered heavy losses, the Peshmerga losses consisted of two martyrs, one missing Peshmerga, and one other wounded. On the same day, from the Bakrman axis, the government advanced to Ware Merge.

Despite the cold weather of the area, on 7 of January, fierce fighting continued on the Sheikhan front. The attacks of the army and government forces from the Atrosh axis towards the Kanika fortress, Biwze, and Hasnaka in the direction of the Sheikhan area continued, although the Peshmerga forces of the Sheikhan area showed great resistance and were able to defeat the government's attacks([7]), along with that, a force from Branch 1 led by Sayed Salih and a force from the Duhok area led by Sa'adun Korki and Muhammad Shafiq participated in the battle to support and assist the Peshmerga force of the Gulan Committee([8]).    

On the day of 8 of January 1987 the battle continued very intensely in the Sheikhan area. The Peshmerga forces of the Duhok area reached the border to support the Sheikhan area, and the Peshmerga forces of the Zakho area were on their way. At that moment, the mercenary armed forces in Ware Merke behind Bakrman retreated and fled, leaving behind a large amount of equipment. On the Spindari axis, the Peshmerga of the Sheikhan and Duhok areas attacked the mercenaries and defeated them. They killed a large number of them, and the bodies of some of them fell into the hands of the Peshmerga. Eight mercenaries were also captured by the Peshmerga, who were from Duhok, Sheikhan, and Kani Mase. In that battle, eight Kalashnikov rifles, one cross, and one (R B K) were the spoils of the Peshmerga. The losses were the martyrdom of two Peshmerga, one of whom belonged to the Sheikhan area and the other to the Zakho area, and another from the popular defense force who was from the village of Hasnaka went missing([9]).‌ 

On 9 of January 1987 the government-affiliated forces were completely defeated on the Spindari, Bakrman, and Hasnaka axes; only the Kanika fortress remained in their hands. Their losses were as follows:

In the Kanika axis, they had forty killed, including two officers with the rank of Ra'id and a radio operator, and also 5 soldiers were captured by the Peshmerga. In the Spindari axis 32 soldiers were killed and wounded, four of whose bodies fell into the hands of the Peshmerga along with 8 soldiers who were taken prisoner, in Hesneka 30 soldiers were killed and wounded.

To reduce the pressure of the government's attacks on the battlefronts, on the night of 11 to 12January 1987 the Peshmerga of the Duhok District Committee carried out a guerrilla operation, a Peshmerga campaign in the heart of the city of Duhok, targeting several government locations, bases, and headquarters. Also, a helicopter was hit on the battlefront and crashed in Atrosh. On 14January, the fighting on the Sheikhan front was very intense. The government launched a widespread attack from the Kanika and Spindari axes with the Support of tanks, artillery, and aircraft against the Peshmerga, shelling the area heavily. They were able to reach Bibadi, but the Peshmerga forces were able to recapture some places that were previously in their hands in Sidera, Berane, and Kani Mazi. In those battles, the government forces suffered heavy losses. Among the Peshmerga forces, there was one martyr and 11 wounded, along with two martyrs from the popular defense([10]).

On 15January 1987 the attack of the Iraq army and hired gunmen reached near the headquarters of the Sheikhan District Committee, but due to the strong resistance of the Peshmerga, they were forced to retreat and were defeated. It is clear that during the period from 13 to 15January 1987 the battles were very intense and continuous. The Peshmerga forces and popular defense resisted them with a solid plan until they were able to defeat them. However, all the villages that the hired gunmen reached were looted and burned, such as the villages of Bibadi, Karava, and Agosh.

Despite those few days that the Peshmerga were busy defending and repelling the intense attacks of the government forces, they still continued their Peshmerga activities. On 21January 1987 the Peshmerga of the Martyr Amin Nasri and Martyr Mahmud Ezidi organization in the Sheikhan area and the Revolution organization in the Zakho area, with120mm mortars, heavily shelled the bases and strongholds of the hired leader Arshad Zebari in Sharman and Bakrman, causing them heavy losses([11]).

 At the end of the battle, the Iraq army and hired gunmen suffered heavy losses, which were estimated at the death of about 300 gunmen and soldiers, 12 military IFA trucks were burned, and 30 Kalashnikov rifles and a large number of 120mm mortar shells fell into the hands of the Peshmerga. The losses of the revolution consisted of30 martyrs and wounded from the Peshmerga forces and popular defense([12]).               ‌    

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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. https://www.facebook.com714717478634550/photos 
  3. Shimal Zebari، Some Hidden Truths in the Gulan Revolution, First Edition, Rojhalat Printing House, Erbil – 2015.  
  4.  Ghazi Adil Gardi، A Peshmerga in the Service of Barzani... Haji Birokh, Volume Two, Second Edition, Turkey- 2021.

 

[1] - https://www.facebook.com/714717478634550/photos/%D

[2] - Masoud Barzani: Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Four, 1975-1990 Gulan Revolution, Part Two, First Edition, Roxana Printing House, 2021, p.65.

[3] - That fortress was built with a solid military plan, located on a hill overlooking the village of Kanika and dominating Atrosh and the Barwari valley. Shimal Zebari: Some Hidden Truths in the Gulan Revolution, First Edition, Rojhalat Printing House, Erbil – 2015, p.355.

[4] - Shimal Zebari: same source, p.356.

[5] - Ghazi Adil Gardi: A Peshmerga in the Service of Barzani... Haji Birokh, Volume Two, Second Edition, Turkey- 2021, p.269.

[6] - Shimal Zebari: same source, p.356.

[7] - Masoud Barzani: same source, p.66.

[8] - Shimal Zebari: same source, p.360.

[9] - Masoud Barzani، same source, p.67.

[10] - Masoud Barzani، same source, p.68.

[11] - Masoud Barzani، same source, p.69.

[12] - Shimal Zebari، same source, p.373.