This battle is another activity of a Peshmerga force of Kurdistan in the border area of the Duhok branch committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. In this battle, 25 Peshmerga, on the night of 19 to 20 of April 1983, set an ambush for the Iraqi Army forces on the Bagerra–Swaretuka road. That night, until dawn, they hid under the bridge of the road, waiting for the arrival of military vehicles until 11:15 in the afternoon. Suddenly, an IFA-type vehicle carrying a group of soldiers came along the road and fell into the Peshmerga ambush. As soon as the vehicle approached them, all the Peshmerga in the bridge came out onto the road, fired at them, and destroyed them. Later, the Peshmerga seized the bodies of the killed and their weapons. Although a force from the Duhok Brigade of the Iraqi Army confronted them, the Peshmerga retreated and left the battlefield.
A Peshmerga force affiliated with the Duhok branch committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, under the command of Muhammad Murad, set out on the night of 18 of April 1984 to carry out an activity and strike the Ba'ath regime forces. First, they went to the village of Teye near Bagerra to gather information and inspect the area in order to determine a suitable place to strike the military forces of the Ba'ath regime, so that they could show the strength and power of the Peshmerga to the government forces and not let those forces remain in comfort and stability. After searching and inspecting the area, the (Bagerra–Swaretuka) road opposite the village of Sarke was determined to be the most suitable place to set an ambush and carry out a Peshmerga activity. After determining the location, they returned to discuss the location and the time of starting the activity with the entire force. Of course, this method of carrying out the activity was another aspect of the battles and confrontations of the Peshmerga forces against the Iraqi Army forces, and it achieved success to a significant extent and caused great damage to the government forces.
On the night of 19 to 20 of April 1983, the Peshmerga force set off towards the designated location and went to the village of Sarke. In that village, they rested until 3 at night, then they began to move. A force consisting of 15 Peshmerga, under the supervision of Muhammad Murad, went to the road and hid in the bridge under the road. Another force, consisting of 10 Peshmerga who had DShK and PKC weapons, under the supervision of George Ishaq, went to a hill near the location to repel the surrounding outposts when the battle started, and also to protect the first force from those forces if they attacked them from Bagerra and Swaretuka.
That night, until dawn, they hid at the ambush site waiting for the arrival of military vehicles. No opportunity arose for them until 15:11 in the afternoon, when they were alerted by one of the Peshmerga who was hiding in the trees above the ambush site and watching the road to warn them of the arrival of military vehicles. Upon hearing the Peshmerga's voice ("The military vehicle is coming"), all the Peshmerga in the bridge came out onto the road and fired at them. One of the Peshmerga threw a grenade into the vehicle and it was destroyed. Then the Peshmerga seized it, all the soldiers inside the vehicle were killed, and they seized their weapons, which were 12 pieces of weapons, along with a large amount of military goods and equipment.
After the government realized that a military vehicle had fallen into a Peshmerga ambush, a large military force belonging to the Duhok Brigade confronted the Peshmerga force from all sides. However, the Peshmerga force had achieved what they intended and planned, which was carrying out the ambush, so they decided to withdraw. At the same time, while retreating, they occasionally repelled the Iraqi Army. The entire Peshmerga force reunited and tried to move away. The Iraqi Army was following them. In that confrontation, one Peshmerga was wounded; apart from that Peshmerga, they had no other losses. By night, the Peshmerga force reached the village of Stu Kurkuxrabia. Later that day, until night, the government shelled the villages. As a result of that shelling, some civilians were wounded, and the vineyards, gardens, and orchards of the villagers were burned. This was at a time when the government's military forces were suffering defeat against the Peshmerga force, and to cover up the defeat and dispel the threat to their forces, they resorted to bombing and shelling the places that were under the movement, authority, and revolution of the Peshmerga.
Sources:1- Muhammad Murad, Xebata Çiya, Bîrhatin û Sehhatiyên Şoreşa Gulanê di navbera salên (176- 1989) da, (Çapxana Kurdistanê- Zaxo- 2007).
2- Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Four, 1975- 1990 Gulan Revolution, Part Two, First Edition, (Ruxana Printing House- Erbil- 2021).