The Battle of Zembil Frosh was another clash between the Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan and the Ba'ath regime's army. On March 22, 1980, a Peshmerga force ambushed an Iraqi army force on the main road in the Batufa area. The army force fell into the ambush and suffered heavy losses. Meanwhile, another force from the Batufa Brigade of the Iraqi army arrived at the scene to support their defeated force. Upon their arrival, fierce clashes broke out between the Peshmerga forces and the army soldiers, which lasted for several hours. As a result, the Peshmerga forces defeated the Iraqi army forces and forced them to retreat to their previous positions, suffering heavy losses in lives and military equipment.

After the setback September Revolution In 1975, the Ba'ath regime exerted all its power and efforts to prevent the resumption and outbreak of the Kurdish revolution and to limit the activities of the Peshmerga. For this purpose, it formed several armed forces from Kurdish mercenaries and hired guns as special detachments. In addition, after the outbreak of the war between Iraq and Iran in September 1980, several light regiments were opened, which armed thousands of Kurds. Nevertheless, it covered all parts of Kurdistan with huge military forces of divisions, brigades, and regiments, supported by heavy weapons, tanks, artillery, and warplanes.

Regarding the revolution, after the ninth conference of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in November 1979 in eastern Kurdistan (2), and in light of the conference’s decisions, the necessary measures and preparations were taken to send the Peshmerga forces back to Kurdistan in the form of special groups and units, to contact the revolution’s supporters and begin organizational work in the cities and carry out Peshmerga activities.

On March 22, 1980, a force of about (55) Peshmerga members led by Ali Qadir, Othman Qasim, Saado Korki and Omar Ali, split into four groups. While they were engaged in their Peshmerga duties in Batufa in the Badinan region, they received information that Saddam Hussein, the then head of the Iraqi regime, would visit the region. This was an opportune moment for the Peshmerga forces to carry out their activities. Therefore, early in the morning, they set up an ambush on the main road of the region. At 11:30, four military vehicles of the type IVA appeared and fell into the Peshmerga ambush. With the first bursts of fire from the Peshmerga forces, all four vehicles were destroyed, while there were casualties among the soldiers, both dead and wounded.

Meanwhile, a military force from the Batufa Brigade of the Iraqi Army arrived from the eastern part of the region to assist the defeated force at the confrontation site. Another military force from the Sahl Jiyi Regiment, a force from the Afkani Regiment, and Badr forces from the Zakho Division also arrived at the battlefield. As a result, a fierce fight broke out between the government forces and the Peshmerga forces and continued until nightfall. Then the government forces were defeated and withdrew to their military units.

After the defeat of the Iraqi army, the Peshmerga forces left the area and headed to the village of Bighbari, then to the villages of Blijani, Kurka, Hashara and Bari Brisk, hiding during the day and moving at night until they reached the headquarters of the party's first branch.

The Iraqi army suffered heavy losses in that battle, with about 120 soldiers and high-ranking officers killed and wounded. Two Peshmerga fighters, Saleh Khilafti and Hussein Maarouf, were martyred in this battle, and their bodies fell into the hands of the regime's military forces. Two Peshmerga fighters were also wounded, and a civilian named Ahmed Yahya Tayeb was martyred.

Sources:

1- Mohamed Murad, Khabata Chia, Perhatan and Serhatin Shisha Golany Danavar Sa5in (176-1989) Da, (Chaphana Kurdistan - Zakh - 2007).      

2- Mahsoud Barzani, Barzani and Ezgari Khwazi Kord, Barghi Chovarem, 1975-1990 Shoreshi Golan, Bahshi Dovim, Shabi Yahkim, (Chaphaneh Oksana - 2021).

(2) This page is from the Kurdistan Democratic Party, including the Kurdistan Democratic Party - KINGAR and KINGFRAS (Photos and پهیریهیی نوزیخ), بهرگیهیخیم, کافییهیهیم, ڕۆژههه۵ات, 2021).

(3) Haji Mirkhan of this month: He is the one who has the power to direct or determine to do so, in the name of God, in God, in God, in God, in God. ڕۆژهەڵات - Kurdistan - 2021).