(Ahmed Merozi) had a brother, 2 nephews, and a niece who joined the ranks of the immortals, (Hashim Merozi) his brother, after recording several heroic epics between the years 1961 and 1966 from Badinan all the way to the Betwen plain, was martyred in (Mount Atrosh), and his nephew named (Sadiq Hashim Merozi) in the Year 1987, after following the same path as his father (Hashim), fell under the bombardment of (Iraqi aircraft) on (Meroz village), and his other nephew named (Hussein Hashim Merozi) in 1995, and his niece named (Haji Aziz Merozi) in 1995 were martyred in the war of defending legitimacy.
The beginning of the September Revolution and crossing to the Badinan regionIn the Year 1961 at (Sare Shindr), which overlooks the city of Akre, the Peshmerga had set up a defensive line against the Iraqi government and the Jash. After the Iraqi government, with the help of the (Jash), drew up a plan to besiege the (Sare Shindr) force and were able to circle them and besiege the revolution force, the Peshmerga were defeated in that battle.
(Suleiman Dezo) was martyred in that battle and his body fell into the hands of the enemy. Through the Czech weapons, the enemy thought that (Mala Mustafa) had been martyred, because our weapons were mostly (Brno, Jambizar, and German), only (Mala Mustafa) and that (Dezo) man had Czech weapons.
Later, the Peshmerga retreated to (Sare Pirs), the enemy continued their attacks from there as well, first with aircraft and then with artillery (bombardment and shelling) they would target us, and then the infantry force which consisted of (Jash and soldiers) would attack. We did not have that military and human capability, they were a force, (one military division) which consisted of more than ten thousand soldiers along with a large number of Jash and supported by all kinds of new heavy, light, and medium weapons, while our number did not reach 600 people and our heaviest weapon was a (Bren machine gun), and that one was intact and two were defective. The message reached us that the government was advancing from the direction of (Dinarte) towards (Hern village) and from there to (Birakepra), we retreated to (Dolla Dalashe) and continued retreating until we reached Bile and Barzan, and the battle took place in (Mla) which is located opposite (Barzan).
The battle on Mount Pirs lasted for 50 days, and food was sent to the battle fronts from all over the Barzan border, and even from the villages of the (Muzuri Zori tribe) (millet bread, kashk, livestock, and... etc.) were sent to the Peshmerga, and even (clothes and shoes) were sent by the people to the battle fronts.
In the battle, there were a small number of (Uqdah Two) weapons, which were used by (Colonel Aziz), (Colonel Aziz) would place the cannons on his thighs and fire them. In terms of bullets, our situation was very bad, if there was no will, how can one fight (cannons, aircraft, and tanks) with rifles?!.
The Jash were the ones fighting that battle more, otherwise the soldiers who had come from the central and southern regions of Iraq did not know our mountainous areas at all, the Jash often killed the soldiers themselves and took their weapons back and said that the Peshmerga had killed them.
At the beginning of the battle, the weather situation was normal, but later it started raining and the Peshmerga were in a miserable state and there was no bread to eat (some of them had remained without bread for three days). The number of Peshmerga was very large without clothes and jackets, and not even all of them had (Chokha) on, and their clothes had hundreds of patches on them, and the (shoes) were (Akreyi belts),
Once (I and Hashim Merozi) visited (Mala Mustafa) in (Kani Boti village) and he gave us two sets of khaki clothes and said "those are Peshmerga clothes". When we brought the khaki clothes back, all the Peshmerga looked at them and asked about their type. The (khaki clothes) initially had long undershirts, later we cut them ourselves and the women tightened them with needle and thread.
When we crossed the Shin River and left the Barzan region, the Peshmerga were divided into several (platoons) under the supervision of each of (Mohammed Amin Mirxan, Hashim Merozi, Hasso Mirxan Dolamari, Asad Khoshewi, Isa Sowar, ...etc.), the platoons consisted of 15 to 40 people, after they backtracked on the decision to go towards (Syria).
(Mala Mustafa) kept a number of his forces in (Badinan) under the leadership of (Asad Khoshewi) and he himself returned to the (Soran) border, and each of (Nadir Hawrami and Abdullah Agha Pishdari) returned with him to the (Balakayati) border, and he sent a part of them under the leadership of (Colonel Aziz and Mahmoud Kawani) to (Mount Safin), and even (Mala Mustafa's army) reached the areas of (Darukhan), the border of the authority of (Hama Rashid Khan) and up to Southern Kurdistan, and (Mala Mustafa) himself sat in (Balakayati).
When we crossed the (Shin River) we reached the villages of (Sarzeri, Kani Balave, Bedhe, and... etc.), in (Sarzeri village) on the (Turkey-Iraq) border, the Jash of the area confronted us. In that battle we fought in (Sarzeri), we only had 2 wounded who were both relatives of (Mohammed Amin Mirxan) and only Jash confronted us, eventually they could not even fight for 2 hours, because a number of our forces went into the Turkish border and circled them and surrounded them from all sides, as a result they fled into the (Turkish government) border. As for the ordinary people, some of them fled and went to the government and some of them stayed with us and we lived together.
Our force continued on its path, towards an unknown fate, the Peshmerga had tied their fate to the fate of (Mullah Mustafa). After (Bezeh) we went towards (Herore village) belonging to the (Barwari Jori tribe), the village of (Ahmed Shane) and we were received very grandly and the people of the village served us in every way, (women and men) were our helpers and they were happy with our revolution and we stayed with them for a long time, until we reached the (Tigris) river in (Peshkhabur and Derabun). For two months we covered that road until we reached the (Tigris) river and the border of the state of Syria, then (Mullah Mustafa) divided his army into several parts and distributed them over the regions of Kurdistan, from (Zakho) to (Khanaqin).
Disarming a regiment of the Iraqi government in Gali Zakho - 1962In the spring of 1962, a message came to us that a regiment of the Iraqi government would leave Zakho early in the morning and head towards (Duhok) through the valley. We were 300 Peshmerga, we set off at 4 o'clock in the morning and took both sides of the (Gali Zakho) road, from the side of the road that reaches (Slivana plain) and ends (Gali Zakho), we dug the main road with (axes and shovels) to a depth and width of 2 meters, because the street was paved, when we hit the road with the (axe), fire would rise from it, but from the Zakho side the street was not touched.
The Iraqi government regiment set off and left the center of Zakho city and passed through the valley, they fell into our ambush, then they knew that their situation had slipped out of their hands and they stopped in their cars silently without starting to shoot, one car after another. We shot at them from all sides, they had nothing left, so they sat in their places silently and without even firing a shot, as if there was not a single human being or a single car in the valley, until the world brightened a little, then they fired some shots and threw themselves out of their cars to under the tires and the bushes around the street, and we were looking at them from both sides of the valley from above their heads and then we attacked them, I went to a car and the sound of a radio was still coming, I look and the radio is lying on the chest of a killed soldier and it is working and a bullet hit his head.
The battle, which lasted from 5 in the morning until 8 in the evening, saw the martyrdom of the Peshmerga (Yasin Rashid Merozi, Qadir Ismail Selki, and Sabri Abdi Memodi) and we had a number of wounded, and from the enemy more than 10 soldiers were killed and we captured a number and released some at the same time. We brought their officers (from one stripe to the battalion commander) with us and we also carried all the weapons and ammunition of the regiment on their backs, until the villages of (Bezeh and Betase), then we transferred the captives to (Mullah Mustafa) in Balakayati and the military vehicles, which numbered 60, we burned them all. After the (Gali Spi) battle, the number of our weapons and ammunition increased and every weapon and armament we obtained, we hid in the caves of the (Life region).
Later, the government came to their aid from the (Duhok and Zakho) side and until it reached Gali Zakho they see the cars are on fire and no one is visible. After that ambush we set in Gali Spi, we started an attack to capture the guard posts of the valley.
In the summer of 1962, a number of Peshmerga of the (Muzuri Jori) tribe led by (Isa Suwar and Hashim Merozi), we attacked the (Kafrink) guard posts which overlooked the main road of (Zakho) and we were able to capture a number of policemen and seize some weapons.
It is a dark night, the Peshmerga climbed the (Bekher Mountain) one after another like a chain, so that we would not be separated from each other and any message or word we had could be easily whispered into each other's ears, without the enemy feeling us, until we reached the (Kafrink) guard posts we continued, in this way we reached the bottom of the guard posts, without them feeling us, I had reached the (burlap sack) of the enemy guard post, I could feel the movement of the police on the other side of the enemy's barriers.
At 12:30 in the morning, suddenly shooting broke out and they started it at first, because they had felt some movement under their guard posts, if it were not for that shooting, we would have reached the guard posts, without them being aware of anything.
The battle is hot, I heard a voice, he shouted (Oh Babo). (Fawzi Pendroyi) had gone to the Soviet Union with Mullah Mustafa and thought the guard posts were empty and had thrown himself into the guard posts early and was hit by (six) bullets, and I thought (Hashim Merozi) is my brother and is shouting, the (Fawzi Pendroyi) weapon which was a Brno type had fallen there, and (Hashim) had assumed that it was my weapon and that I had been wounded, so I went after the fate of my brother (Hashim) and crawled along the barrier of the guard post, I saw (Hashim's) (Grinof machine gun) hanging there and the belt had fallen down, the fear of (Hashim's) martyrdom completely settled on me, I called (Hashim), he answered me and said "(Ahmed), are you there? Then who is that who is killed?" I said to him "Why did you go into their guard post, I also thought it was you?"
Then he said "Protect me, until I come out of the guard post, so that the policeman who is shooting does not kill me". A policeman named (Ali Bahara) was inside the guard post, he was very mean. (Hashim) threw himself out over the barriers, he fired a burst of machine gun bullets and broke the (straps) of (Hashim's) magazines, fortunately he was not hit by any bullet, we saw it was (Fawzi Pendroyi) who had fallen inside the guard post and was wounded, (Hashim) asked me to protect him and stand against the policeman, so that he would not finish off our wounded man, I aimed a bullet at the policeman, it did not hit him, I fired another bullet at him, he cursed, I aimed my third bullet, it hit his forehead and he was finished.
After (Ali Bahara) was killed, the guard posts surrendered, and from all sides, the Peshmerga threw themselves inside. There were 8 guard posts, all connected to each other. The policemen cried out and begged not to be killed. Eventually, they all surrendered. We also rescued (Fawzi Pendroyi), who was then treated and recovered.
In the battle, 4 policemen were killed and 11 were wounded, and we left them right there. As for those who remained, we took all the weapons inside the guard posts, which consisted of (machine guns, 6 wireless devices, and a large amount of rations and ammunition). We also placed our martyrs, named (Yasin Muhammad Dezoyi and Yusuf Sindi), on stretchers, and they were carried by the captives until we moved away from the main road, at which point the policemen were released. (Yasin Muhammad Dezoyi) was buried in the (village of Hawshne) in (Dashta Dubane).
We captured the Kerfrink guard posts and sent off the spoils of the battle and our martyrs. I asked a Peshmerga, 'Where is (Hashim)?' Another said: 'Hashim has gone towards the Qishla.' I asked when the battle reached the (Qishla) and when it was controlled. They told me: 'Yes, it has been taken, and Hashim and a group are there.' We set off and went downwards. It was a moonlit night until we reached the main road, and the (Qishla) was above us. We climbed up, and the closer I got, the more hopeless I became about capturing the (Qishla), until I reached under its wall and saw a (lantern) lit inside one of the rooms, with light rising from it. Then I was sure that there was no one inside the Qishla and that the Peshmerga had not reached it.
At the time we set off for the (Qishla), (Hashim) was also returning with all the forces, and they had gone a very long distance. He had asked the group about me, and they told him I had gone towards the (Qishla). No matter how much he asked who told him to go towards the (Qishla), he received no answer. (Hashim) brought some Peshmerga with him and returned to the Kerfrink guard posts. Baqi Ahmed and I were under the wall of the Qishla. (Hashim) shouted several times, 'Whoever is there, get away, the Qishla will be shelled.' That was a message he sent to us, and he repeated it several times. I fired a bullet at the lantern inside the Qishla. Then I did not see myself, and shooting started from all sides, and we were trapped under the wall of the Qishla. The enemy did not know we were under the wall, so I asked (Baqi) to save himself until he reached the road. No matter how much I asked him to go, he refused, and he kept saying to me: 'You go, eventually you will tell me you ran away.' I told him, 'You go, I will not say those things.' Eventually, (Baqi) ran, and he was not harmed until he reached the main road. Then I ran after him until we reached each other, and together we started running, road after road, to (Hasanawa) without stopping. When we escaped, we called out to (Hashim), 'We have reached the bottom, shell them... We have reached the bottom, shell them...'
(Hashim) and the group came down and asked me why I had gone towards the Qishla. I told him the story, and (Hashim) was very angry with me and said, 'Why don't you sit down?!' Our battle for the (Kerfrink) guard posts lasted (one hour and thirty minutes), and we buried the body of the martyr (Yusuf Sindi) in the village of (Hasan Awa), and we returned to our headquarters in the (Lefe region), where we were in most of its villages named (Bezhe, Betase, and Ermushte).
After we established our headquarters, we received (storage-warehouses), set up bread ovens, and food was provided to us at the headquarters, because if we had not received the (warehouse), we would not have been able to manage. Even until then, especially in the detachments, the food and drink of the Peshmerga were provided by the villages, but in most of the main headquarters, food was also prepared. Our warehouses were inside the caves of (Betase, Bezhe, and Ermushte). The headquarters of the column of (Hashim Merozi) was in the (village of Betase), and (Isa Sowar) also stayed in (Bezhe). Those heights that reached the border of the (Doski Zhori) tribe were protected by our column, and the heights were very important and strategic. If the government had been able to take control of them, we would not have been able to remain in the region.
Besides military affairs, we also had administrative authority, and if there was a (social, administrative, or economic) problem, it would come back to us, and there were several procedures we would take to solve it so that they would not happen again. The perpetrator was punished according to the crime they committed. Even if we had information about the existence of an intelligence relationship between a person and the Iraqi government, we would arrest the person, and the punishment for those people was (death).
(Hashim Merozi) had a writer at his headquarters in (Betase) named (Abdulatif Batifi), and there were also writers on the side of (Isa Sowar). The work of those (writers) was writing letters and telegrams between the battle fronts, along with recording the battles, history, and achievements. However, due to leaving the records behind when we were defeated in a battle and abandoning our headquarters, many times those documents would fall into the hands of the enemy, and sometimes we would move them with us.
The Battle of Batifa in the year 1962The Iraqi government wanted to control the (Khizawa-Batifa) road, and for 14 days and nights of continuous fighting, the road was not given up, and the government was not allowed to reach (Batifa). One day, when our forces, led by (Hashim Merozi) were on the border of the (Sindi) tribe, we received a message: the Iraqi government, led by (Majid Sabawi), wanted to advance from (Zakho) to (Batifa). (Majid Sabawi), who was from (Mosul), wore a pair of (rubber) shoes like the Peshmerga and had promised not to return until (Hashim Merozi) was captured by his hands.
In the summer of 1962, because of the heat, no one could stand in the sun, and the (lentils) had not yet been harvested. Each of the column leaders (Ali Ali, Ali Halo, and Hashim Merozi and Abdulrahman Dino and Abdulkarim Hamid) are with us and we are about 400 Peshmerga, (Batifa) is under the control of the Peshmerga and (Zakho) is under the hands of the Iraq government, between the two cities and among the valleys, plains, and heights of that region we set up our battlefront and with the weapons (Brno, Kalashnikov, English, and machine gun) we blocked the advances of the Iraq government.
The weapons of the Iraq government were (aircraft, tanks, artillery, and all light and medium weapons) which were supporting one military brigade and Jash, for 14 nights and days it attacked to reopen the road to reach (Batifa) and (Hashim Merozi) to capture, our commanders had drawn up a successful plan. The government was coming along the main road and the Peshmerga had controlled both sides of the road which is surrounded by hills, heights, and valleys, and on both sides of the road we had built both trenches and there were many ravines, the Peshmerga were hiding themselves under them.
The government advanced along the road and the (Jash) on the edges, the Peshmerga and Jash faced each other in the ravines and hills and the battle began, the government was forced to stay on the road and could not advance. After it could not advance and stayed on the road for a long time and a large number of them were killed, they were forced to retreat to (Zakho). Someone was watching the battlefront with binoculars, a friend of mine said "do you know who that soldier is watching the battle with binoculars", I said "no I don't know, but you also watch him with binoculars and I will fire a bullet for him". I have a Brno rifle and I am a very accurate sniper, I stood opposite him and my friend was watching him with binoculars, I fired the first bullet and he fell immediately and my friend said "you killed him and his binoculars fell!", the soldiers and the people who were there all ran towards him and the ambulance arrived in a hurry, the next day we followed them, no one knew what happened to them and the tanks returned, (Sabawi) their brigade commander was killed, in my opinion the man I shot was (Sabawi) himself, because right after he was hit, soldiers gathered from all sides and moved him to (Zakho) and the government retreated. Two days passed, they returned in the same way as the first time and set up their battlefront again.
We resisted for 14 continuous days, on the 15th day we had no opportunity left and we opened the road for the government, so that it could come and reach (Batifa), the Peshmerga were very tired and exhausted, I said to (Hashim) "no one is left on the battlefront", he said "how?", I said "60 Peshmerga are left with us, the others have left".
Three days (Hashim Merozi) my brother was taken to the doctor so that his ears could be cleaned from the smoke of artillery gunpowder and aircraft missiles, (Hashim) was resisting on a hill, the surroundings of his outpost were all places of artillery and there was constant fire over their heads, he did not leave his position in any way.
According to my information, in the battle, 40 of our Peshmerga from the (Sindi and Guli Mizuri Zhori) tribes were martyred, I only remember (Masoud Haji Sadiq Guli), 3 of our Peshmerga (one of whom was Spindari, one was Dezoyi, and another I don't know which village he was from) were martyred, they fell into the hands of the Jash and they lit a fire and threw all three into the fire.
Finally, we had no choice but to retreat and open the road for the Iraq government. We also had a large number of wounded in the battle, including ((Haji Isa Merozi and Sabri Sito Gwezi and 2 Dezoyi people, along with 4 other wounded)), we had 8 wounded just in Mizuri Zhori, besides the (Sindi and Guli) tribes the number was very large.
According to the account of the people of (Zakho), just as corpses fall, in the same way, the bodies of the killed Iraq government soldiers were reaching (Zakho), because the soldiers were very inexperienced, when an attack was made, they would take the road and advance alongside the tanks, then we would stand against them and kill them all.
The (helicopter) of the Iraq government was fighting with (machine gun) and many of our Peshmerga were martyred by those (helicopters), because we did not have any such weapon to hit it, so when the aircraft arrived, we could only hide ourselves, so that it would not know our location and bomb it.
In the battle of (Batifa), the (Syria) government was providing air support to the (Iraq) government, with the return of the helicopter, we knew that fighter jets would attack, constantly two Russian MiG jets and 2 Syrian ones were bombing us, those jets were coming and going as they pleased and were indifferent to us, they knew we did not have any such weapon to fight them with, at that time we could not fight in the air in any way, what we were doing was ground fighting, even the Peshmerga had covered the (bayonet) on top of his weapon with a cloth so that it would not shine and be visible to the aircraft.
Their attacks started with artillery shelling, then the aircraft would bomb us and then they would start their ground attack, after we had no opportunity left and we lost our ability to resist, we opened the road for the Iraq government and they reached inside (Batifa).
After they felt the danger of the coming winter season and they knew that in that season the road between (Zakho-Batifa) would be closed, due to heavy snow and rain, after we reached an agreement with the people inside (Batifa) who were mostly from the (Guli) tribe and (Haji Sadiq Guli) also asked for help from the Peshmerga and said "if you help us, we can take (Batifa) out of the hands of the government", with a small battle, we cannot even call it a battle, the Iraq government retreated to (Zakho) and never returned again.
The government knew it could not remain in (Batifa District), because the district was located between high and remote (mountains), the government had to block the road through a wide and vast plain to reach (Batifa) from (Zakho).
The Situation of the government was very bad, except for the centers of the cities, otherwise all the plains, mountains, and villages were in the hands of the Peshmerga, 80 villages of the region were completely under our control.
The cooperation of the people within (Batifa) led to us entering the sub-district without casualties, and the government retreated. (Haji Sadiq Guli) was an authority in (Batifa sub-district); previously, there were problems and blood feuds between the (Guli and Sindi) tribes, so they did not want to support the (Sindi) people. However, with the September Revolution and the battles of that period, we reconciled both tribes. The people of the region helped us from all sides, and we established our roots and began to administer the region militarily and politically. The (Guli) tribe later provided us with good support, and even in the battle of (Batifa), the son of (Haji Sadiq Guli), whose name was (Masoud), was martyred.
While (Batifa) was still under the control of the (Iraqi) government, in the summer of 1962, they said that a person had appeared named (Sabri Chnoki) and wanted to reach the Peshmerga forces through various tricks and cause harm to the Peshmerga. A message reached us that (Sabri) had brought some men with him and they had been sent by (Bashar Agha) to the villages of (Parexe and Mergeshishi) on the border and the territory of the (Sindi) tribe, and they were promised a reward if they caused harm to the Peshmerga. Information about the movement arrived, (Hashim Merozi) and the commanders asked me to take some Peshmerga, follow them, appear as (them), and destroy their group.
I took (Baqi Ahmed Merozi, Abdullah Ali, and Ibrahim Kurani) along with 4 (Sindi) Peshmerga and one (Christian) named (Sulaqa) as a guide with me, and we set off until we reached (Parexe village). We sat in a house, rested, and they brought us (Taifi grapes). The host said, "Who are you?" I told him, "We are (Bashar Agha's) group." We had disguised ourselves like the Jash (pro-government militia) and were wearing (blue) jamadanis. The host did not suspect us and said, "Since that is the case, a group of yours is here too." We said, "Who are they and where are they?" He mentioned the name (Sabri Chnoki), and I said, "We have also come after them. If you help us and show us their place of stay, we will thank you, but let it be secret and let no one know, lest a fight break out between us and blood be shed due to lack of knowledge." The host said, "Tonight they are guests in a house," and he showed us the address of the house.
At dawn, with only (light) weapons, we set off and surrounded the house. We immediately killed their guard who was on the (roof) of the house. The Jash threw themselves out of the house, and we were attacked from all sides. After (one hour and a half) of fighting, we killed three of them, one of whom was (Sabri Chnoki) himself, we captured one, and five of them fled.
After we returned, we were thanked by (Isa Sowar and Hashim Merozi and ...), and the Peshmerga kissed us and thanked us.
One of our Peshmerga named (Yusuf Dalo), who was from (Zakho), was slightly wounded in the battle, and that was due to his failure to adhere to the battle plan, because I had previously told them: No one should enter the house until the battle is over, but (Yusuf) could not restrain himself and went inside. Our Peshmerga outside did not know that he was one of our group; one of them shot at him and he was wounded.
After the events of (Batifa), we set off for (Silvana Plain), to the villages of (Baghlucha, Pechaki, Parexe, Awzuruki, and Mergesori). It is a vast area, and they said (Silvana) plain consists of 100 villages.
The epic of the battle of Baghlucha in 1962In the autumn of 1962, a dirt road came from the (Tigris River) to (Pechak and Baghlucha villages) until it reached (Peshkhabur and Derabin). We received news that the Iraqi government was attacking road by road. Our group went to monitor the main road and returned, saying (the government is not coming). Later, they discussed that it was attacking on the (dirt) road of (Tigris-Pechak-Baghlucha).
The government was advancing on that road and wanted to reach (Peshkhabur, Derabin, Barzebara, and Shinawa) until they reached (Zakho), and in this way, they would surround us and only (Bikher Mountain) would remain for us.
70 Peshmerga led by (Hashim Merozi), most of whom were from the (Upper Mizuri, Sindi, and Guli tribes), set off to prevent their advances, and we set up ambushes for them in several places on the road. In (Baghlucha village), the battle heated up, and the (Syrian and Iraqi) government air force also participated.
The battle started in the morning and continued until sunset. We did not allow the government to advance, and no force came to their aid. The government was attacking with 40 tanks, aircraft, and all its infantry. The enemy (tanks) were lost in the dust of the area and had taken the banks of the Tigris River and could not advance. The soil of the area was soft and sandy. Our Peshmerga had dug some places and hidden themselves in them; the enemy did not know from where they were being fought and were confused.
In the heat of the battle, we received a message that another government force was advancing from (Duhok junction) to (Ashe). If we did not retreat, we would fall between the two government forces and be surrounded, and our escape route would become difficult. It was dark, so we left our position and retreated to the foothills of (Bikher Mountain) and a Christian village named (Mergesora), and their mukhtar was a person named (Shane). The next day, the government attacked the village and killed anyone they could find, and they set fire to the village. According to our information, 60 people from the village were killed by the government.
In the battle of (Baghlucha), the Peshmerga had no casualties, and 20 soldiers were killed from the enemy, because only one of our Peshmerga named (Haji Hajo Kharxori) had targeted the soldiers; when they wanted to get out of their vehicles, he killed 13 of them. Two (shepherds) of the village were also martyred.
After destroying 3 enemy tanks, we left (Baghlucha). The government was able to advance and reach (Peshkhabur).
Several confrontations and a battle in 1963
It was the spring of 1963, we were 50 Peshmerga under the supervision of (Hashim Merozi), one night we were hosted in the village of (Ashe) which is located on the main road (Duhok-Zakho), we reached the village (Torshik-Kufte Sor) had been cooked, we spread out through the village and each of us found a place for himself in a house and in a spot, we had not yet started eating, when we received a message that the government is attacking.
The rain is falling in such a way that the earth and sky are moving with it, they had placed (Torshik-Kufte Sor) in front of us, the news of the government attack arrived, in a hurry I put a Kufte in my pocket and threw one into my mouth, we set off, we see (tanks) standing in rows in the plain and advancing with their weapons (Dushka and all their light weapons), and we stood against them only with our simple weapons which consisted of (Brno, English, German, Ghaddara, and machine gun) and the battle heated up, a soldier was leaning against a pillar and I fired (three) bullets at him as a target, none hit him, I went for him and reached him, I thought he had lost his life, I asked him what are you doing, why are you standing? He took the Quran out of his pocket and said "for the sake of this Quran, do not kill me", we captured him and moved him to a house.
The tanks, as they were coming, could not get out of the mud, later propaganda was made for (Hashim) that he was able to puncture a (tank) with a (machine gun), while the machine gun bullet had no effect on the tank at all, but because of the rain the tanks got stuck and were trapped, people thought that it was the Peshmerga who stopped their tanks. The people of the village supported us in every way, even in that attack a man was attacking the (tank) with a (double-barrel shotgun) and fighting the government. The battle continued from the evening until the morning, the world was on fire and the cries of (children and women) reached the highest heaven, no one remained in the village and it was completely emptied and the next day (airplanes) arrived and carried out a heavy bombardment and they brought shovels and bulldozers and demolished all the houses of the village on top of each other.
One of us was with us named (Khurshid) who belonged to the (Mizuri Zheri) tribe and was a very capable Peshmerga, he was martyred in that battle, the government was forced to retreat and left two tanks in the mud, no matter how much we tried we did not know how to burn the tanks!.
The story of the Mangishke battle in 1963We attacked several times to capture (Mangishke), but we could not take control of it, three times I myself was with them and we were defeated and returned, without taking control of it. A Jash leader had fortified himself inside (Mangishke sub-district), after we entered the sub-district without a fight, they faced us, both men and women, and our force was defeated and we came out of the sub-district.
Before we attacked to capture (Mangishke), we had many battles with the (Jash) on our way, so that they would leave the road for us, finally we were able to capture many of the guard posts of the villages of (Besfke, Barozhke, and Mangishke) through gifts and fighting and then attack inside (Mangishke), we had to find different tricks and ruses to capture the strategic guard posts, because the government was helping them and it was difficult for us to be successful in all those battles and areas.
In 1963, it was midnight, after we controlled the heights around (Mangishke), without a bullet coming out of our weapons, we secretly reached the center of (Mangishke).
In four columns led by (Ali Halo, Suleiman Haji Badriya, Hashim Merozi and Isa Suwar) we reached the alleys and streets and were moving around, after we stayed for a few minutes, a (flare) was fired into the sky and we were subjected to a barrage of bullets and we were shot at from all sides and it became a celebration for the people, no matter how much we called them (come out and we will not harm you), some of them cursed and some of them spoke in (Arabic language). In the battle, 2 (Barwari) Peshmerga were martyred, and (Abdullah Kurani, Ibrahim Kurani, and Sheikh Sen Ergoshi) were also with us.
Capture of the Ain Zala company in 1963
The idea of capturing the (Ain Zala Oil Company) had been worked on for some time, our column leaders wanted to cause damage to the heart of the government, on the other hand we wanted to take some foreigners as hostages, and we had received information that some French engineers were working in that company, so (Ain Zala) was targeted. The (government) also had a very hard time reaching it and it needed to travel a long way to come to the aid of the company, because the government had to come to its aid from (Sinjar) and (Sinjar) was far away.
In the raid on the company, we also had a number of (Yezidi) Peshmerga with us who were very fearless and brave and one of them was named (Mahmude Hamre).
One day I went to (Bezhe), our leaders who were (Isa Suwar, Haji Qado, and Hashim Merozi and Ali Halo, Ali Ali, Rauf Mela Jami, Abdulkarim Hamid, Suleiman Haji Badriya, and Ali Haji Badriya), I saw, they were gathered and planning how to carry out the attack and how to retreat, some people from the (Gargari tribe) were with them in the meeting and were clarifying the roads and paths of the area for them.
In the spring of 1963, about 300 Peshmerga set off and reached the (Tigris) river, the movement was made on the bank of the river and a place for crossing was found and they brought (rafts), the Gargarites helped us a lot and provided (swimmers and rafts), if it were not for their help, the operation would not have been carried out, the Gargarites on the east side of the river brought us rafts and those on the west side protected us.
Until we crossed and reached (Ain Zala), the Peshmerga were walking one after another like a chain, no one, neither enemy nor friend, was aware of our movement and walking.
No matter how much you look, you will not find a hill in the area. For 2 days, we hid ourselves in the (wheat fields) which had already bloomed (back then, go hide yourself in a (wheat) field so you are not seen), and at night we set off until we reached (Ain Zalah). Behind the company, there is a hill located like a mountain; otherwise, the company was built in a vast, wide plain without cover or fence.
For the duration of our stay, carrying out the operation, and returning, we had put some food with us in our bags and pockets. Although it was the spring season, the area was so hot that the bread in our pockets had turned into (dough).
At 8 o'clock at night, we gathered at a place 2 hours away from the company's location. The attack plan was set, and the Peshmerga were asked that after the operation ended, they should all return to the place where we had gathered.
The Gargari people were our guides, and they even clarified the sections and units of the company for us and showed us the resting places and administrative rooms. There was no significant government force there, so we were easily able to attack them at 10 o'clock on the second night. Even they themselves did not know what had happened and where that force had appeared from and had entered among them so easily.
With (Brno, German, English, Ghaddara, and Bren machine gun) weapons, we attacked the Ain Zalah company and besieged it, and we killed and captured a large number of them. We started the battle at the (radio/wireless device) location so they could not call for help and convey the news of the attack to anyone. Later, we entered the company and did not allow them to start anything at all. Their guards had stopped moving and were in a state of great shock.
The guards of the Ain Zalah company did not fight much, otherwise we would have had Martyrs, because they did not know what had happened to them and what had occurred! One of our colleagues showed me the (money safe), and some of us went for it. I fired my first bullet at its lock, which was as big as a person's thigh, but it had no effect. I fired my second bullet at it, it broke, and we opened it; it had three thousand dinars in it. We went to another (safe), but we could not break it and left it behind.
In the operation, we obtained a large number of (wireless devices, rifles, machine guns, and ammunition), but who could transport them? The people who helped us did not allow us to take the company's guards with us and carry our spoils with the captives because they were afraid of being identified. Therefore, they asked us to either kill them or not take them with us. Then, on our way back, we left behind several boxes of ammunition.
60 policemen were guarding the company. We captured some of them and tied them up right there. 8 of them were wounded and 4 were killed. I personally killed one of them who was hiding in the oil transport pipe that had not yet been installed, and he was fighting with a (Gryunov) weapon. I fired a bullet at him and he went silent.
In the raid, we also captured a (French) (husband and wife) who worked at the company, and we put them on our backs until we crossed them over the (Tigris River). Then, we transported them by (tent/litter) to (Bezhe), and from there they were sent to (Balakayati) to (Mala Mustafa). At the end of the raid, we set fire to the entire company.
We stayed inside the company for more than 3 hours, gathering ourselves to return to the place we had come from. I returned to our designated location. (Hashim) had remained inside the company. I returned to the company one more time until all the Peshmerga gathered. It was getting light, so we quickly walked through the (wheat) and then walked straight, lest we leave a trail behind us and planes follow us.
In the morning, planes arrived and circled over the area. We hid ourselves so they would not find us. The planes set fire to the wheat fields, and that wheat which had not yet turned yellow caught fire. We remained silent until sunset and it got dark, then we set off and reached the Tigris River. It was 12 o'clock at night. Some of the Peshmerga knew how to swim and quickly saved themselves, while the others remained, and we looked for a (raft) to cross with. To save us at the Tigris River, the people of (Pichek village) helped us; they brought us swimmers and (rafts). Until morning, they were busy transporting the Peshmerga, and in the morning, the planes arrived, and we had let all the rafts go down the water. One of our Peshmerga named (Shahin) did not make it, and the plane shot him and made him a Martyr, and his body fell into the hands of the enemy.
As soon as we reached the eastern side of the Tigris River, we hid until evening, and at night we went into (Pichek village), ate bread, washed ourselves, and set off until we reached (Bekher Mountain). We walked mountain after mountain; we reached every village, we ate bread and rested. We also transported the French to the (Sindi) area and later to the Balakayati border.
Three days passed after the operation, the government started an investigation and had followed our route. It became clear to them that the people of the (Upper and Lower Pichek) villages had helped us, and it leveled both villages to the ground, which contained more than 300 houses, and it expelled some of the people and killed others.
The Battle of Peshia Biri in the year 1963(Pishia Bire) is located at the border triangle of (Iraq-Turkey-Syria) on the (Khabur) River. There was a Christian man there named (Aziz Yaqo), who had a son named (Jamil). (Jamil) had become my friend, and I asked him to help us capture the guard post located at (Pishia Bire). (Jamil) said, "(Ahmed), if you take control and killing occurs there, the government will destroy us." I told him, "Do something so they do not fight; I promise not a single one of them will be killed." No matter what he did, I continued with him and remained firm in my request for him to help us capture the guard post. Finally, he agreed and said, "Come tonight, but let there be no killing. I have also made the policemen understand not to fight you, but how can we protect the policemen and prevent them from being harmed, and ensure the government does not realize they have surrendered the guard post to you?" Then we agreed that a little shooting would take place, the guard post would be handed over to the Peshmerga, and the policemen would be left inside the fort with their hands tied.
In the spring of 1963, nine Peshmerga, including (Baqi Ahmed Merozi, Abdullah Qurani, and 4 other Sindi Peshmerga) were with me. At 12:30 at night, we attacked the (Pishia Bire Fort). We fought for two hours until I reached inside the fort. I saw that a policeman had been killed by a Peshmerga. I asked him, "Why did you do that?" The Peshmerga said, "Because he had aimed his weapon at me." We captured the other policemen and tied their hands. We brought back some weapons and ammunition that were inside the fort, which consisted of two wireless sets, three Bren light machine guns, twenty-four English Lee-Enfield rifles, ten boxes of English ammunition, and some other supplies. We left the captured policemen inside the fort with the body of the killed one after tying their hands.
In 1963, after the Iraqi government, at the request of the Jash, attacked Mount Pires and Barzan again, the front line of the Peshmerga and the Jash was a place called (Mla).
(Sheikh Osman) asked (Mala Mustafa) for (Hashim Merozi) to be transferred to (Barzan). Previously, (Sa'de Qasim Palani) was the commander of some of the Peshmerga in (Mla), and they had been attacked by the government, and they had not fought back. (Osman) was angry with them, so he requested (Hashim). After we arrived there, we blocked the government's advance and did not let them reach Barzan.
In the summer of 1963, after we took over the position of (Sa'de Qasim Palani), the Iraqi government attacked again. No matter how hard we tried, they were able to advance and burned (Risha village). (Hashim) tried to extinguish the fire with a broom. I called him and said, "Come and save yourself; the plane is bombing us now. How can you extinguish the fire like this?"
After a short time, the (Jash), with the help of some government officials, attacked us and wanted to reach Barzan and burn it. We set up our defensive line right at (Mla) and confronted them. 8 of them were killed, a large number were wounded, and 4 Peshmerga were martyred. We did not allow them to advance and reach Barzan.
The Jash had light weapons and only (3 and 4-inch) mortars. We confronted them for 12 days with only our light weapons, which consisted of (Ghadara, Brno, and machine guns). Fortunately, (planes and artillery) were not helping them, so when we knew they were alone, we were unconcerned and put up a strong defense, despite our small numbers, which at the beginning of the battle were between (60 to 70) Peshmerga.
The Jash intended to burn (Barzan) so that the peace agreement between (Barzan and the Iraqi government) would come to an end.
(Sheikh) sent a representative named (Wali), who was from the village of (Hevnka), to (Baghdad). (Wali) was the bridge of communication between (the government and Barzan). (Wali's) movements were very secret, and the Jash should not have sensed or seen him, otherwise, they would have killed him immediately.
The Jash, who numbered between 400 and 500 people, attacked us. After our situation deteriorated, (Khudan) ordered the (Wlatzheri) and the (people of Barzan) in general to come to our aid in the name of (popular defense). Finally, people from all sides came to our aid with their own weapons and supplies, and our number reached 400 people.
The Peshmerga, led by (Hashim Merozi and Numan Barzani), fought a life-or-death battle against the Jash. In the battle, we had 4 martyrs, and (Mohammed Rashid Babsifi and 2 Wlatzheri people and 3 others of ours were wounded). One of our wounded had fallen into their hands, and they had dragged him with them to (Ble). In (Ble), they had held up our wounded man's bag and taken out the kashk (dried yogurt) and shouted, "How can they fight the government with (kashk and a bag)?" After a long time in the battle, the message reached the Iraqi government, and they intervened and reached (Ble). They quickly pushed the (Jash) away and did not allow them to advance further than (Mla). (Sheikh Ahmed) returned to Barzan and reorganized his relations with the Iraqi government, and he was promised that the village would be rebuilt.
After the battle reached (Metina), a request was made for (Hashim Merozi) to go to that front and help them in confronting the Iraqi government. (Hashim) set off with some of his Peshmerga, and I stayed in (Meroz) and did not go. In the battle of (Metina), three Peshmerga of (Hashim Merozi) were martyred by the names (Haji Isa Merozi, Baqi Ahmed Merozi, and Numan Merozi), and (Hashim) was also wounded and transferred to (Shiwi village) belonging to the (Nerwayi tribe). The revolution hospital was in one of the caves of that village, and (2) two doctors were treating the wounded, one of them named (Mushe) who was a Christian, along with one from (Slivani). After we received the news of the injury, I set off for (Shiwi). Our relatives and family members who were in (Matina) had wanted to visit (Hashim) to check on him, but (Asaad Khoshawi) had not allowed them to visit (Hashim) with weapons. He had decided that if they went, they should disarm. No matter how much our relatives tried to come with weapons, (Asaad) had not allowed it and had told them: "If you go, you must go without weapons." Finally, our relatives arrived in (Shiwi) without weapons. When (Hashim) learned of this matter, he was upset and very distressed. He requested to be returned home as soon as possible. No matter how much the people and the doctors of the hospital asked him that he must not leave the hospital, he insisted on his request. (Hashim) was transferred to (Meroz) while wounded.
(Hashim)'s wound in (Meroz) was being treated by (Dr. Mahmoud Osman), and (Dr. Mahmoud) stayed in our house for a while. Fortunately, his wound did not involve any fractures; it was only a wound that had affected the flesh of his thigh. However, after he was transferred to (Meroz), his Situation worsened, and through the efforts of (Dr. Mahmoud), he was treated and remained in bed for 20 days.
The events of the Year 1964 in the border area of Qaladiza and Ranya and the war between the KDP and the group of Ibrahim Ahmed and Jalal Talabani
In the Year 1964, (Mullah Mustafa) requested that a part of the forces of (Hashim Merozi) go to him in the (Ranya) border area, where he was staying in (Sarkapka). Instead of (Hashim), I went with 11 Peshmerga, and (Salih Saeed Shiwi, Bashir Teli, Numan Mezi, Maho Mezi, Taha Yasin Merozi, Hassan Khalil Merozi, Abdullah Salih Shiwi, ...etc.) were with us. Our headquarters was established inside the city of Ranya.
The split within the ranks of the KDP had not yet occurred. One day, (Jalal Talabani) came to us, and all the Peshmerga were sitting in a (room) of the headquarters. He had placed each of his hands on one side of the room's door and said, "Who is the person in charge of this headquarters?" (Taha Yasin Merozi) told him, "Ahmed is the person in charge of our headquarters." He said, "Which one of you is Ahmed?" Later, I was called by the group, and I went to them. I did not know (Jalal Talabani). I said to him, "Please, I am (Ahmed)." He said, "The brother of (Hashim Merozi)"? I said, "Yes." He said, "Come with me." He also told our men, "None of you come, we are going and will return."
I still did not know that this man was (Jalal). He had a (Jeep) car. (I, Jalal, and someone else) sat behind the driver, and the guards were in the back. We set off, and I had not yet asked him about where we were going or about his personality. After he asked me about the tribe and the village, (Jalal) said, "How many brothers are you?" I said, "We are two brothers." He said, "Let me tell you something." I invited him to speak, and he said, "I am (Jalal Talabani)." I said, "Without joking, are you (Jalal)?!" He said, "Yes, I am (Jalal)." I said to him, "Okay, why did you bring me, and what business do you have with me?" He said, "I have some work with you, and I will return you later, and do not be afraid." There was still no problem or conflict between us, and we were all in the same area, and even we were with them inside the city of (Ranya). Jalal said, "Why have you followed the (Barzani) family? That family does not do Kurdish nationalism and are only (Sheikhs) and sheikhs, and they have made themselves your prophets. They have no benefit; sheikhdom and Kurdish nationalism do not go together." (Jalal) continued his words and said, "(Sheikh Ahmed) has made himself a prophet, and (Mullah Mustafa) is the Peacock Angel, so I am sorry for you, and I would like you to separate from that family." I said, "If we separate from them, what should we do?" He said, "There are many ways, and those nights I will tell you what to do." (Jalal) talked a lot and kept talking until we reached (Dukan Dam). In (Dukan), there were a large number of (Jalal)'s Peshmerga, and we got off and ate something at their headquarters and walked around. After I separated from him, I immediately took a Peshmerga with me named (Taha Yasin Merozi) and went to (Mullah Mustafa) in (Sarkapka).
(Mullah Mustafa) was intending to perform ablution. When they saw me, (Mullah Mustafa) stopped and asked me about my fatigue and said, "What is the matter, where are you coming from?" I told him the whole story of (Jalal), how he came to us, what we did, and what he said. After I finished my words, (Mullah Mustafa) said, "Those nights, be vigilant. If they close the door on you and provoke you, fight your own fight. Do not surrender yourselves. You do not do anything and do not become the cause of starting a fight inside the city, lest they say something about us and say the (Barzani)s fought and expelled them. If they want to leave, let them leave by themselves."
(Peshmerga and the government of Iraq) were together inside the city of Ranya. At dawn, (Jalal)'s group hung a (loudspeaker) on a car and drove around the city of (Ranya) and shouted, "Death to Barzani... Down with Barzani..." After that event, (Jalal) left and was no longer in the area.
(Mullah Mustafa) called me and requested that I return to (Meroz) and that (Hashim) take my place, and he said: "As soon as you reach home, let (Hashim) come, and let us write a letter for him so that we can return via the (Ranya-Koya-Erbil) road." He also told us, "You and your luck; either they will catch you, or they will let you pass."
In (Ranya) we rented two cars and went up from (Haybat Sultan) to (Koya), we reached the (Erbil) checkpoint near (Qushtapa) and they made us get out of the cars, they said "Where are you coming from?" I told them "We are coming from (Ranya)", he said "What is this lawlessness, with weapons and arms and in that appearance you have set off from (Ranya) and come?", I told him "Whether it is lawlessness or not, the honorable (Barzani) has given us a letter", he said "Where is your letter?" I gave him the letter and he said "Go to the governorate", a car went ahead of us and one followed us, until we reached inside (Erbil) and the governorate building and we put down our weapons and unfastened our gear and they called me, I went inside, a Kurdish military man was sitting on a chair and his shoulders were full of military (stars), he said "Where are you coming from?" I said "We are coming from (Ranya) and we want to return to our areas", he said "How did you come by that road?" I said "The honorable (Barzani) has written a letter for us", he asked for the letter and I gave it to him again and he looked at it and said "How many Peshmerga are you?", I told him the number of Peshmerga, that we are 12 people and we came by taxi from Koya, and now our taxis have returned, then he asked his group to provide us with two cars and to come with us until (Spilik) and from there we would go by ourselves.
We got into their military cars and set off until we reached (Spilik), we got out, 12 men with red jamadanis with weapons and arms, when those soldiers and Jash who were in (Spilik) saw us like this, they gathered around us from all sides and our surroundings were full of Jash and one said: "This is (Hussein Agha Surchi)", (Hussein Agha) started investigating and said: "Which area are you coming from?", I told him: "We are coming from Ranya", he said "Why is it just that?", I told him "We have come to Erbil governorate and returned in a military car, then he said: "Is it true that you say (Sheikh Ahmed) is a prophet?" I said to him in an annoying way "Whaaaat???", he asked again "Do you say (Sheikh Ahmed) is a (prophet)?" I told him "My dear, speak nicely, you are a big man, we are not being tried here, neither are you the person who can try us, nor are we the ones to be tried by you, we are travelers and we want to go on our own way, (Sheikh Ahmed) has not told anyone that I am a prophet, shall I tell you some things that are said about the Surchi sheikhs?" He said "Wow, how harsh!!", a government commander was there and said to (Hussein Agha) in Arabic: "Let them go, what business do you have with them?", the (military commander) turned towards us and said "What will you do, will you take cars or do something else?" I said "If there are cars we will rent them, if you give us cars until we reach the entrance of (Gali Ali Beg) it is a good thing", they brought a military Zil car and we rode in it until (Gali), in (Gali) they stopped us again and at the government checkpoint they made us get out and then they asked the driver of the Zil some questions and he explained the situation to them and then he asked for me and I went to him and told him everything that was there and was not there, I told him "We have come from (Ranya) by the order of (Mullah Mustafa) and if there were no negotiations and peace, neither would (Mullah Mustafa) have sent us like this nor would we have come, why are you questioning us so much?". We finished at the (Gali checkpoint) and a soldier came with us and we took the road to (Balakian) on foot and two men appeared and said "Those are (Hassan and Hussein Agha Balaki)", the soldier left us with them and returned.
We took the road to (Mergasor), I told our group: "I am afraid of those (Balakians) that they might stop us somewhere, so we will go two by two, one after another and at a distance from each other, if something happens, let us not all be hit."
Before we reached (Hawdian) someone told us that there is someone in (Hawdian) who stops people, we set off and we go along the road expecting that at any moment we might be shot at from somewhere, until we reached (Lilok) it was dark, then we felt safe and were saved, we went up and reached a village called (Gwiski) which is located opposite (Mergasor), we went towards the village, to find some food, every door we knocked on, no one opened the door for us and no matter how much we shouted that it is us and we are the people, it was useless. We took our own road and set off again with empty stomachs, we passed (Goratu) and morning came. Our group did not have the strength to walk from hunger, but we pressured ourselves and did not stop until we reached (Chame), we spread out over the houses there and each of us ate a bite of bread and lay down, we fell asleep until the Maghrib prayer passed, at night we set off and by morning we reached behind (Kuran village), then we rested completely and started joking again.
I reached home, I told (Hashim): "(Mullah Mustafa) has ordered you to go to him". I told him the story and situation of Ranya and (Jalal)'s departure and told him the whole matter of our return.
The discussion continues, (Hashim Merozi) set off with 7 Peshmerga to (Mullah Mustafa), after staying for a few days, (Mullah Mustafa) tasked (Hashim) and (Ismet Sharif Vanli) to visit (Jalal Talabani) and ask him to return, (Hashim and Ismet) had gone to (Zini) on the Iranian border, (Jalal) had not come to them and had sent his representative and refused to return.
(Hashim) remained on the border of (Ranya) until 1966, then (Mullah Mustafa) gave him weapons again and told him "Go to (Hasso Mirxan Dolamari) and stay there for a while, then you will start working in (Hasso)'s place and I will move him to another place".
(Hasso Mirxan Dolamari) was in the Shehi area, and the areas of (Muzuri Zheri) were also managed by (Ghazi Haji Malo) such as the villages of (Khurt and Dakan and Mersida... etc).
(Hashim) returned home and rested for a week, then he set off for the (Shahe) area. He set off with 25 Peshmerga, and I went with them as far as the (Sina Pass) which overlooks the (Shin River). He said to me, "This time you stay at home, and if I get tired and exhausted, come and take my place." I said to him, "This is your last time and you will not return." He said, "How will I not return?" I said to him, "No, you will not return, we will not see you again, and you will be martyred."
More than (a month) passed since (Hashim) stayed, and I went to visit them with 2 Peshmerga.
The summer is hot. (Ghazi Haji Malo, Shawkat, and I) were coming down from the (Hasnaka) ravine-valley to go to (Hashim Merozi), and (Hasso) was sitting with his Peshmerga on the stream that was coming down through the valley, busy drinking tea. Many people from the area had also headed to that valley, built huts, and were spending the summer season there. The valley also had several caves in it; if planes came, there were many safe places. No car road reached it from anywhere; one had to pass through the villages of (Brifka) to reach the areas of (Lower Mizuri), and our location was already remote.
Someone named (Khalid Talwayi), who belongs to the (Lower Mizuri tribe) and is with the forces of (Hasso Mirxan). (Khalid Talwayi) had previously spoken about the Aghas among the people and said, "The era of the Aghas is over and the era is the era of (Mala Mustafa), do not follow the Aghas."
I am not aware of anything and I have no information about those words. When we came down through the (Hasnaka Valley), we greeted (Hasso) and his group. (Ghazi) called (Khalid) and said to him, "(Khalid), why are you wandering around the alleys saying that the era of the Aghas is gone and not to follow them? When have the Aghas said or done anything bad to you? When has an Agha asked you to do forced labor for him or measure his granary? Why don't you hold your tongue? It is a shame, we are all Mizuris and relatives of each other, why are you doing these things?" (Khalid) said, "Go, go, when did I say that, you are just making things up." We turned around. (Shawkat), who is (Ghazi)'s nephew, pointed his weapon at (Khalid) and fired a bullet at him. (Ghazi) also took his weapon down from his shoulder and he also fired two bullets at him, and they killed (Khalid). (Hasso Mirxan) and his group called (Hashim) and it became crowded. (Ghazi) called (Hasso) and said to him, "(Hasso), you will not be killed. It was (Khalid) who incited you to do that. So be at ease and rest, you let (Khalid) be killed by my hands and you let the (Lower Mizuri) fight each other. You stay where you are and we will not kill you."
We returned and I said to (Ghazi), "Why did you do that?" He said, "The matter was going to reach that point anyway and I had to do it. (Hasso) let that man be killed by my hands, and I will take my relatives and go to the mountains. You do whatever you think is best." (Ghazi) was in a dilemma from two sides; on one side from the (Peshmerga) and on the other side from the (Iraqi government).
After those events, (Ghazi Haji Malo) joined the Iraqi government and then emigrated to (America), and a while ago he returned to Southern Kurdistan.
(Hashim) returned. One morning, as it was described to me, the government had attacked (Sare Atrosh). (Hashim) climbed the mountain with some of his men in order to take the mountain back from the government's control. Fighting broke out between them from all sides, and one of the Peshmerga said to (Hashim), "That is the enemy," and as he raised himself, a bullet came and hit his head, and he was martyred right there.
I was not there, and I had a list of (Hashim)'s requests that I was to take to (Mala Mustafa) and provide for them. The day (Hashim) was martyred, that same day I had set off from (Meroz) to (Balakayati), which is (6/6/1966). I was on the road for three days until I reached (Dilman). That day we did not see (Mala Mustafa), and I was not aware of any events or disasters that had happened to us and that (Hashim) had been martyred.
I stayed in (Dilman) for 14 nights and days, and (Mala Mustafa) did not allow me to return. Every night he would come out and sit under the tent and talk about brave men, death, and life, and he would say: "If a human dies, the survival of his name in a good way is better." I was not aware of anything, neither wind nor rain, as our people say: "The owner of the dead is the one who is burning." I never asked myself, does (Mala Mustafa) want to tell me something! On the 14th day, Idris came out and said, "(Ahmed)." I said to him, "Yes." At first, his tears came down. When I saw (Idris)'s tears, I knew (Hashim) had been martyred. He asked me when I had come from (Meroz), and I answered him. He said, "The day you set off from (Meroz), (Hashim) was martyred. My (father) has been trying to tell you for all these days, but he cannot find the way or the language to tell you. You return, and we have received a message that until you return, no funeral will be held." I had nothing left and said: "That is the path for all of us."
They got me a truck and sent me with both my relatives and another one with them. The 4 of us set off together until (Meroz).
(Hashim Merozi) was martyred on (6/6/1966) on the Atrosh mountain and was buried in (Hasnaka village) on the border of the (Lower Mizuri tribe). After his martyrdom, I sat for (one) year and stayed at home in (Meroz) and served my family and children and (Hashim)'s family and children. (Hashim)'s eldest child was 10 years old.
Autumn 1967 (Idris Barzani) requested that I visit him. I set off from (Meroz) with 26 Peshmerga. First, I visited (Sheikh Ahmed) to say goodbye and told him about the subject of the visit to (Gallala). Then I set off and reached (Gallala) and went to Idris, and he said to me, "Do you know why I called you?" I said, "No, I don't know." He said, "Are there Peshmerga with you?" I said, "Yes." He said, "(Mullah Mustafa) has asked for you and wants to see you." I said, "Where is Mullah Mustafa?" He said, "He is with (Hama Rashid Khan) in (Darukhan village)." Idris said, "Some of our Peshmerga go secretly to (Darukhan village), passing through the border of the (Iranian) government until they reach (Mullah Mustafa), and you will go with them." At that time, the (Iranian) government was helping us, and our forces were moving within their territory. I said, "Okay, I will go." He said, "Take only one Peshmerga with you, and let the others stay here until you return; we will place them in (Sidakan village) to prevent the Jash detachments. Whenever you return and (Mullah Mustafa) gives any order, he will also inform me."
(Five) days passed, our caravan was prepared, there were about 200 Peshmerga, we boarded the cars without weapons and set off for (Sardasht and Baneh) until we reached (Darukhan village), the village of (Hama Rashid Khan). (Hama Rashid) had grown old and was bedridden at home. One of his sons, named (Anwar Beg), was sitting in his place.
When we reached (Darukhan), (Muqaddam Aziz) welcomed us and greeted us and distributed the Peshmerga. He took me with him, and we stayed with them for 41 days, and (Mullah Mustafa) was with us. We would go out during the day and return to the palace of (Hama Rashid Khan) at night.
The Peshmerga who were with us and those who were already there would enter Southern Kurdistan through (Iran) to (Penjwen), where they would carry out military operations against the Iraqi government.
The collapse of the Great September Revolution in 1975The revolution collapsed, and I stayed in (Meroz) until 1977. My friends and comrades were displaced to Iran. I stayed alone in the village. A full military battalion was stationed in (Meroz village). The old Jash returned to the village and both caused problems for me and were constantly complaining about me, saying that I had contact with (Mullah Mustafa). They had set their sights on me and were looking for an opportunity to harm me.
Once, a (head Jash, along with a Kurdish officer from (Rawanduz) named (Subhi) and an Arab named (Ra'id Muhammad)) came to me. (Subhi) signaled to me to escape because a plan to arrest me had been drawn up. Even (Ra'id Muhammad) had told (Subhi) to warn me about the attempt being made to arrest me.
In (Mergasor), they sent for me, and there was an (Arab) officer and a (Kurdish) one from (Amadiya) there, and the Kurd was very bad and disrespectful. During the uprising, we searched a lot for the Kurdish officer from (Amadiya) to kill him, but he hid himself.
After my situation completely deteriorated, I built a new house so that the people would not feel that I was leaving (Meroz). (Ra'id Muhammad) came to me and said, "What are you doing?" I told him, "I am building a house." He said, "Why are you doing that? It is useless, go." I said, "Okay, fine." I sent word to the (Provisional Leadership of the Party), and they sent some (Argoshi) to help me and get me out, among whom were (Majid Ahmed Argoshi and Ali Mustafa Argoshi), and a number of other Peshmerga were with them. At night, our household was packed; we only took the load of one (mule), which was a few small necessities, and we left everything else behind.
Only my family, my children, and Hashim were 17 people. We set off. By morning, we reached (Gali Barani), and that day we completely hid ourselves in that valley and ate some food. It got dark, we set off and climbed until we reached behind (Mawata), and from there we crossed the river until we reached (Arduel village), and we stayed at the house of (Faqo Ardueli) and (Masto Ardueli) for three days. Then the (Provisional Leadership) brought trucks and moved our family and children to (Herki), and we were settled in the palace of (Hussein Agha Herki). We stayed there for a year. Then our relatives, such as (Salih Mustafa, Haji Muhammad Asaad, and Haji Ramadan), arrived in the village of (Sati) in Northern Kurdistan-Turkey and asked me to come to them and live with them. They moved my family and children to (Sati).
For several years we stayed in Sati village and did business, and we acquired a large number of livestock, and in this way, we managed our lives. For Peshmerga work, (I would be at home for 15 days and stay for (one) month in (Herki)). In 1977, my Peshmerga service was at the (Headquarters of the Provisional Leadership of the Party) in (Herki), and our person in charge was (Sarbast). The primary authority of the (Provisional Leadership) was under the control of (Sami Abdulrahman), who was sometimes called by the names (Daro, River, and... etc.). Each of (Salim, Lieutenant Muhammad, Lieutenant Ali, Abu Antar, and Abdullah Risha) were also in charge and sat in (Herki).
Once, (Sami Abdulrahman) asked me to carry out a military operation in (Meroz) and asked me not to harm ordinary people, only to fight the government.
(Fathi Salim Argoshi and I) set off, and we had a number of Peshmerga with us, including (Rahman Kham Argoshi). Before we set off for the attack, we were taught how to throw and fire an RPG by (Lieutenant Nihad). When we set off, we were (2) two groups. One group, under the supervision of (Fathi Salim Argoshi and Siso Misho Gurgo), set off to hit a government outpost in (Bzhyan village) which they called (Mlani), and the other group, under my supervision, with 15 Peshmerga consisting of (Hussein Hashim Merozi and Fahmi Shalal Merozi and... etc.), went to (Meroz). We planned it in such a way that (we) would not hit the outpost inside (Meroz) until they attacked the (Mlani) outpost.
Before the sun had set, we reached (Slor village), we saw a flock of sheep in (Meroz village) and a soldier was herding them. We ran from (Slor) to reach him and seize them. By the time we reached (Sume village), the soldier had moved the sheep away. The soldier was unaware of us trying to seize the flock. No matter how hard we tried, he reached (Pushtkale) and (Meroz Cemetery) first. We approached the (cemetery), he brought the flock to the (regiment) headquarters and their living quarters, and in the end, he escaped us.
In the spring of 1978, our group reached near the regiment headquarters; an RPG can easily reach it. We only heard that our other group fired an RPG at the (Mla) guard post, but it did not hit. When the soldiers heard the sound of the RPG shell, they went into a state of alert in all the guard posts, and the guard post that was assigned to our group was full of soldiers. I put the RPG on my shoulder and fired a shell at the guard post, it went through a door and exploded; no one knew what happened to them! I fired my second shell at the RPG, because I had not removed the upper cloth of the shell, it went onto the roof of a house in (Meroz) and did not explode. It caused a commotion and an uproar everywhere, and tanks were prepared and they started shelling (Bzhyan village). When the second RPG did not explode, they knew we were under their guard post, they started shooting and firing artillery towards our group. In the end, none of us could find each other, each of us ran in a different direction.
Night fell and it rained, we crawled down. The government stood against (Hokl, Slor, Rawin, opposite Meroz and Bzhyan) and shelled and set fire to everything. The enemy did not know in which direction we had run; it is our own village, so we were able to hide easily.
Our plan was to meet each other after the operation at (Ubeid Mill) in (Tange Sume), because it was a hidden and very rugged place and no one would be found there. After our operation ended, we reached the mill. It was raining continuously, what rain! We were still inside the mill, a Peshmerga said, "I left my weapon behind." We asked him how and where did you leave it? The Peshmerga said, "I don't know, after I fell down it was lost and no matter how much I looked for it, I didn't find it." I felt very sorry for him, because we did not have such a battle that he would leave his Kalashnikov, but what can we do, I told him, "Don't worry and don't pay attention to it."
The place where we were is a ravine that is not visible from anywhere, so we lit a fire. For a moment, I saw the pillar of the mill separate from the wall, I shouted at the group and told them, "Get up, the mill is going!" Fortunately, the roof of the mill rolled down over our heads and went into the river, without a single grain of dust falling on us. Then we were left without shelter in the rain and the sky was clearly visible. Our fire went out and we remained in the rain. Fortunately, nothing happened to us and we survived that disaster safely.
The battle we fought in (Meroz) lasted only 40 minutes, but the government's shelling continued until 12 o'clock at night. According to the information that returned to us, only those who were inside the guard post, who numbered 13 soldiers, were killed.
We remained without fire and in the rain until morning, then we set off and reached opposite (Biari village) of the Rikani tribe. A height overlooks (Biari village) and is located opposite (Meroz village). The Iraqi government soldier has set up a guard post there and we are unaware. A (mountain goat) was in front of us, I took my Brno off my shoulder and fired a bullet at it and killed it. After killing the (goat), shooting started from the guard posts on that height which was located on the border of the Rikani tribe, and we did not see ourselves. Our group quickly reached the (mountain goat) and each of them cut off a piece of meat to roast and eat when we reached a safe place far from the enemy's gunfire.
After we escaped that shooting safely, we did not stop until (Bzina), then we lit a fire and collected some materials and put the meat of the wild animal on it and we ate our fill and returned to (Herki).
The same year (Sami) asked me to carry out another operation, on the condition that we were sent not to fight in (Meroz), so that we would not become a source of strife and chaos for the area.
43 Peshmerga, under my supervision, set off, which consisted of the largest number of Peshmerga of the temporary leadership. Before we reached (Meroz), the news had reached the Jash (pro-government militia) that (Ahmed Merozi) was on his way and would attack them. By the time we reached (Meroz), the Jash had fled to the regiment of (Guzi village). In (Slor village), a woman had died named (Amina Seyde) and (Mala Hassan Shiwi) was also at her funeral. We went to (Slor) for the funeral. When the people saw us, their situation changed. They were asking themselves how the Peshmerga had come to their village while the government is everywhere?! We gathered the people of the village and those who were at the funeral and informed them that we had come for their funeral, we recited Al-Fatiha. I saw that their situation was very bad and they were uncomfortable, they were upset by seeing us. I spoke to them and told them, "You will soon be removed from your villages and relocated, so find a solution for yourselves and do not put your young men under the control of the Arabs and encourage them to go out and become Peshmerga."
After we finished in (Slor), we set off for (Meroz), we received news that (Meroz) had been evacuated. We went to (Spindari village) and called the Mukhtar and he gathered the people for us and we spoke to them, then we went towards (Dezo village) and said a few words to the people of that village as well. Everywhere there was an uproar and propaganda was spread that (Ahmed Merozi) had gathered all the people and spoken to them, and the government began to move.
We continued our journey until we reached (Zet village), I see 200 to 300 (Mizuri) men ran and reached us, I asked them what happened to you?, they said "the government has come between us, they arrested some of them and we ran away, the government told us "you are helping them, otherwise how can you reach your villages".
While we were still in (Zet village), (Lieutenant Yunis and Mullah Amin Barzani) reached us in (Gali Zet) and brought us supplies and food. We gathered all the forces with the people who had fled, they asked us to find a solution for them, the message reached the (Provisional Leadership) and (Sarbast and Sami) complained and blamed me for causing chaos in the (Mizuri) area, (Salim) had said "may I be sacrificed for his eyes, let them kill them, because they will not become human beings", because I did not listen to him, (Sami) was upset with me.
The same day a representative from the government arrived and asked for me, I asked him who are you? He said "the representative of the (Brigade Commander) who is now sitting in (Silke) and has requested that whoever has fled, let them return and we will not say anything to them", I turned to the group who had fled and told them "whoever is not afraid of himself and wants to return, let them return, whoever is afraid of himself, the field is ready and let them be with us and we will give them weapons", some of them stayed with us and some returned.
Another time I was asked to carry out another operation and only my relatives and family were with me and we were 6 Peshmerga, the same day we reached the hill of (Tubaqlis) which is located opposite Meroz and the government battalion was inside the hill of (Rezke Shalal), we set up in front of them and we wanted to obtain that mule they had, when we did not get the mule we fortified our position and no one could see us, until their evening bread was placed for them.
In the autumn of 1978, each of (Wahid Hashim Merozi and Hussein Hashim Merozi and Muhammad Ahmad Merozi and Khayrullah Shalal Merozi and one other person) were with me, from afar and from our place we watch the soldiers, they are busy eating, with (Brno, machine gun and Kalashnikov) weapons we started shooting, it became a commotion and every soldier ran in a direction, we did not stop shooting, they answered us from the battalion headquarters, but they did not know where they were being shot from, when they knew where we had taken a position against them, they fired a shell that fell in our middle and each of us fell in a direction, fortunately we were not wounded, the shelling continued and every shell fell on a side of our point, then the place where we were was hit with all kinds of weapons, we looked at ourselves, none of us were hurt and we decided to retreat and we do not even know if anyone was left in that guard post we had shot at, for the next day we received a message that no soldier remained inside the guard post and 4 of them had been killed and some of them had been wounded and they had left all their weapons and arms behind, but how can you enter the enemy's guard post with 5 people who are all from one family. After we fought for (one) hour without losses we returned and I was rewarded by the Provisional Leadership with 700 Turkish Lira.
After my return to (Herki) I received a letter from the Brigade Commander through (Hussein Jangir Merozi), he had asked me to return alone, in return for whatever I want they would do for me, I directly took the letter to the (Provisional Leadership) and gave it to (Sarbast) and he gave it to (Sami Abdulrahman), after reading the letter, they had a discussion about the letter and asked me what was written in it, and I told them: "I do not know, because it is written in Arabic", (Sami) said many things to me and said "I promise that we will be your helpers and supporters and whatever has been done against you before, we will fix it for you and take revenge for you and we will expel those who have disrespected you and complained about you in your village and we will return your village to you, whatever you want we will do for you and your wealth and property will be provided by us", later they set a plan so that we could harm the government through the discussions that follow the letter.
(Sami and Sarbast) said "we will answer their letter and so that you can see each other in (Bzina) which overlooks (Tuye village), whenever they arrive, the Peshmerga should also be put on alert and we will shoot at them from all sides and cause them harm", the first night we agreed on that plan and for the second night they drew up another plan and said, send them an answer and in it ask for (one million) Dinars in exchange for your return, on the condition that they first bring the money to a specific place and you go there yourself and receive it, our final plan was the second program and I answered their letter, I would not return but I wanted to generate income for the Provisional Leadership through that money, the government showed willingness to deliver the specified money to (Gali Bzina).
On the specified day from morning until evening we waited for them in (Gali Bzina) they did not come, another day we waited for them again no one came, we received news that the government had received information about our plan and had backed down and is not coming, we were not successful in that plan and we did not receive the money. We stopped for a while without any activity and (Sami) said "what should we do?" I said "let's not sit, let's carry out a patrol".
We set off for (Meroz) and to attack the guard posts of the Iraqi government soldiers, we carried out the patrol and without carrying out any attack, we returned to our headquarters in (Herki village) and we learned the news of the passing of (Mullah Mustafa). For a few days we announced mourning and raised black flags over the headquarters and all places and mourning was held by the (Provisional Leadership) and none of the officials who were in (Herki) returned to Iran for condolences, after a while some movements reached my ears that the group of the (Provisional Leadership) were intending a coup against (Idris and Masoud), they were behaving in a way that they did not account for (Idris and Masoud).
The group of the Provisional Leadership had strong ties with each other and (Sami Abdulrahman) was leading them. Each of (Salim, Sarbast, Siamand Bana, Abdullah Risha, Lieutenant Nihad, and... others) were fully aware of each other's movements. They had built houses and places to stay for themselves, and there were bakeries and all necessities in (Herki). Many people from North Kurdistan-Turkey were helping us, and we were living on the (Turkey-Iraq) border. There was only a small river between us, and many people lived there, and each of them owned several heads of livestock and sheep, and they had honeybees, agriculture, and everything. That area had become a complete city. Many people from the villages of (Nawchala, Stuni, Herki, and... others) had gathered, and most of them were living in (Basia village), and our supplies and necessities were reaching there.
That area was a (homeland) and an independent state, and the (Provisional Leadership) was governing its people well and managing them properly, and the border of its authority extended to the (Nirwa and Guli) tribes.
Thwarting a plot by the PUK in 1978 and the Şemzinan warIn the spring of 1978, we received news that the (PUK) forces had come and wanted to harm us from behind via (Şemzinan) and with the help of the (Turkish government). We asked, where have they reached? They said they had reached (Bawi village) and passed through (Sate village) and wanted to reach (Oramar), and another group of them from another place wanted to reach them and take the rear of the (KDP Provisional Leadership). After their movement was sensed, a message was sent to the (people of North Kurdistan-Turkey) not to help them and to support the (KDP). Eventually, the people helped us and fighting broke out between us. In each of (Gevere, Oramar, Bawi, Rashida, and... others), the fighting was intense, and our forces were deployed. In those battles, (Mala Amin Barzani, his brother, and several of our people) were martyred, and there were many killed among the (PUK) forces. Each of (Dr. Khalid and Hussein Baba Sheikh) were among the dead, and 200 of their leaders and fighters were captured, among whom were (Ali Askari and... others), and they were transferred to a school in (Bedaw village).
One day, Sarbast and I went to them. (Sarbast) spoke to them and said: "We are brothers and there is no difference between us, so why did you do this? Who is inciting you to do this?" In those battles, (Jalal) and some of his group escaped and returned to the (Gardi tribe), and the Kurds of the North helped them a lot and saved them.
A number of the captives were released, and some were killed, among whom was (Ali Askari). Six of them remained with our forces, one of whom was named (Rafiq). Later, during the Iraqi government's attack on (Herki), (Rafiq) was martyred by a bullet from an Iraqi aircraft's DShK.
The Iraqi government attacked, and we climbed to (Arduel), and the government was advancing to reach (Herki village). Our force was in (Sare Sore) and we fired at them, and the force of (Fathi Salim Argoshi) also confronted them from below, which overlooks (Arduel). The Iraqi government soldiers retreated and returned. Later, the enemy's helicopter arrived. (Rafiq and I) were sitting under a rock. I only saw a burst of DShK bullets directed at us; it passed over my head and hit (Rafiq) in the torso, cutting him in two. His martyrdom had a great impact on me and I grieved for him a lot.
In that government attack on (Herki), more than 300 Peshmerga, with the support of the national defense, stood against the Iraqi army for two continuous days until we were able to move our families away from the battlefield and cross them over the Turkish border, because we knew we could not stand against them. After we evacuated (Herki), the government entered it and burned the entire village; everything in it was set on fire.
After the burning of (Herki), the Iraqi government returned to (Drey village), and we returned and came back to our ruins in (Herki village), and on the burnt rubble, we laid the foundation of a new life once again.
The movement of the Provisional Leadership to seize the KDP's authority
After the death of Mullah Mustafa, the officials of the Provisional Leadership were plotting among themselves to take the primary responsibility of the KDP. Once, I heard them speaking in Arabic. One of them was with them and said to (Sami): "Be careful, (Ahmed) understands Arabic." I got up and wrote two letters to (Shawqi Gulik Muhammad Argoshi), one for Idris and one for (Masoud), to inform them about the movements of the Provisional Leadership. We wrapped the letters in tape and gave them to (Osman Mikail Argoshi). By chance, in (Baye village), (Osman) falls into a Turkish gendarmerie patrol, and for fear of being exposed, he throws every letter he has into a flock of sheep. With the help of the milkmaids of (Baye) village, he escapes from the gendarmerie. He looks for the letters but they are not found, and he keeps running until he reaches Iran. After (Osman) leaves, the milkmaids find the letters and return them directly to the Provisional Leadership to (Sami Abdulrahman).
While (Ali Askari) was still in prison, one day I went down to the house of (Amin-e Sale Argushi), and (Sami, Salim, and Sarbast) were sitting under a (walnut tree) and called me. I went to them, and after asking how they were, (Sami) said: "Brother (Ahmed), what have we done for you to write that letter about us?" I said to them, "What letter have I written about you?" They showed me their own letter and read the content to me, and they also told me that those letters had been returned in the (village of Baye). I told them, "That letter is not my work, but on that day when you were saying 'be careful, (Ahmed) knows Arabic', what were you saying to each other? Did you not say that (Mullah Mustafa) has left and (Masoud) is easy, and it would be good if (Idris) was also off our backs? But I have not come to say those things and write such letters. If someone has done that in (my) name, I am not aware of it, but if you say I have done nothing? You have done it. If you say I am a pure person, then you are pure and loyal, because I heard what you were saying." (Sami) said, "Since that is the case, you are still used to sheikhdom and feudalism." I told him, "The issue is not sheikhdom and feudalism. (The Barzan family) is our leadership, and that is it. We are not with you on that issue, and it is the Barzan family. (Mullah Mustafa) has left, his sons are coming." He said, "Meaning you will continue in that same way?" I said, "Yes, in this way, and that is how it will be." Our relations deteriorated, and later I received a message from (Masoud) to move my family and children to (the village of Sate), and we stayed in that village for several years.
After those events, the (Provisional Leadership) dissolved. (Sami Abdulrahman) and a group separated from the party and formed the People's Party, and many people in the (Badinan) border area supported them. A number of the Provisional Leadership, such as (Siamand Bana and Abdullah Risha), went abroad. The Provisional Leadership continued for 4 years, and after its dissolution, their headquarters in the (village of Herki) ceased to exist. The party also gathered itself and returned to the borders. (Mustafa Nerwayi) went to (Nerwa), (Arif Yasin) reached (Chemi Tuya), (Muhammad Khalid) came to (Berkme), and (Idris Barzani) also came down and stayed on the border.
The Iraq-Iran war from the years 1980 to 1988In 1980, when the (Iraq-Iran) war broke out, (Masoud) sent me a letter, and I was ordered to establish a headquarters in the (village of Meroz) and gather some people and start moving again, so that people would know that the revolution continues. I returned to the (village of Meroz) (my family and children were still in the village of Sate), I gathered my relatives and close people, and we established a headquarters. Then, little by little, people gathered around us, and we reopened the roads of the area once again. We started agriculture and animal husbandry work again, and we fed and served the people and guests ourselves. We also received supplies from the border of the Rikani tribe.
In the period between the years 1980 to 1988, the area was calm, and the government did not carry out any military movements and sat silently in its headquarters in (Shirwan). The government thought that a large number of Peshmerga and forces were in the area; they did not know how many Peshmerga we were and that we were only sitting in our villages for the sake of it! Propaganda was spread that (Ahmed Merozi) was in the Mizuri villages and had gathered a large number of people around him. During that same period, we did not sleep peacefully for even one night, and we set up ambushes behind (the village of Kuran) or on the heights that overlook (the village of Bzhian), because we often received messages that the government intended to attack, and we would go out, but no attack was ever made.
Once we received news that a head of the Jash had given a letter to some of the villagers, and they had come to the (village of Muka) and wanted to harvest terebinth (qazwan) and pick figs. I took some Peshmerga of the (First) Branch with me, who had come to visit us, and I set off for the (village of Muka).
I reached the (village of Muka) and saw that the people had lit a fire and put tea on it. I called them and asked them why they had come there? They said, "It is our own village, and we have come to harvest (qazwan)." I asked them, "Is it your village?" They said, "Yes." I asked them who told them to come? They said, "We came by the letter of (Hassan Jangir)." I took the letter back from them and angrily told them, "Go tell (Hassan) to return the letter to somewhere else, and you go and do not stay here, otherwise I will kill you." We fired some shots over them, and they ran away. They left their mules, and I called them and told them, "Come and take your pack animals too, so that tomorrow they don't say we expelled them for those pack animals, and then make us out to be (donkey thieves). Go and never return to this area again."
We received a message that people had returned to the (village of Spindar), and we did the same thing with them, and they returned. Later, the government had called them and asked them why they had returned and what had happened? They had told them, "(Ahmed Merozi) came upon us and left nothing for us, he insulted everyone, and expelled us from the area."
After that incident, they made a plan for the government to attack us. They had planned for 50 jash (pro-government militia) to attack us secretly at night. We received the news very quickly, we sent a message to the Rikanis, and a number of them came to our aid, and a number of people from (Argosh village) and (Banan village) who had remained in their village came to my aid, and our number increased to 40 to 50 Peshmerga, and a number of (PKK) were also with us, and they also promised us their support. After four days, a message arrived that the son of (Babakr Guizi) had come to the border of the (Rikani tribe). Then we sent a group to him, and he had told our group, "Inform (Ahmed Merozi) that the government and jash detachment has fallen apart and they will not be attacked, because some of them did not agree and had said, 'Since we are going to fight (Ahmed), let us fight right here in our own place; what are we going to do by going to (Ahmed)? If we kill him, it will only be from us, and if he kills us, we will be gone from here. Let our people not go to do (Qaskwan and Goez). (Ahmed) is not in the wrong. If they were going, they should have asked him and told you, 'We have come and we want to go to our villages and do (Qaskwan Goez), do you agree or not?''" Within the government, the jash split into two factions and did not attack us.
How the President viewed our assistance to the (PKK)
In the eighties of the twentieth century, I provided a lot of support to the (PKK) forces, and they stayed right with me in (Meroz village). Those supports of ours were with the knowledge of Masoud Barzani. He sent me a letter in which it was stated, "If you can protect the (PKK) forces with you, I thank you, because I will not trade one (PKK) fighter for all of Turkey." The (President's) letter remained with me until we became refugees in Iran, but later I myself did not know what happened to it. I fed and served that PKK force for 5 years.
Regarding that support of mine for the PKK, in the winter of 1985 to 1986, (Said Khalil) sent me news that a Turkish military leader (Colonel) was in (Zete village) and was requesting to see me. I refused to go; on one hand, I was afraid of being arrested, and on the other hand, I did not want to follow (Said's) words. After the first representative returned, some other messengers came and requested again that I visit (Zet). I sent them back empty-handed. Later, I sent a telegram to the (President) and informed him of the situation. The President told me, "If you are afraid for yourself, do not go."
A few days passed and they requested to see me again. This time, the (President) told me, "Go see them and do not worry." I took more than 40 to 50 Peshmerga with me, including (Qadir Salih Stopayi and ... etc.) with us until we reached (Zet). The military officers of the Turkish government were waiting for us at the cemetery of (Zet village) under the surveillance of 6 military helicopters. When I arrived there, I deployed my Peshmerga to the heights overlooking our meeting place. I went to them, and I also took a PKK fighter with me in our Peshmerga clothes, so that he could both hear our discussions and help me understand them, even though the Turks also had their own translator with them.
A carpet had been laid out, we both sat on it, and our surroundings were full of Peshmerga and Turkish gendarmerie. They also brought a translator, and I told him, "You will translate our words exactly as they are; whatever I say, translate it for him, and whatever he says, translate it back for me." Their official told me, "Why are you feeding the PKK?" I said, "I am not feeding the PKK." He said, "We have witnesses that you have fed the PKK." I said, "If your witnesses bring the PKK to us themselves, that is fine, but I do not know them and they are not with me." He said, "Do you swear that the PKK is not with you?" I said, "No, I will not swear. The border of Turkey, from Haji Omaran all the way to the (Zakho) gate, is all connected together. The nephew of one is in one country and the aunt of that one is in another country. The uncle of one is in one country and the spouse of another is in the other country. They are all relatives and family of each other. It is possible that the PKK is with us right now; how can I swear that the PKK is with us or is not with us?!"
I also took a (PKK) member with me and he was sitting next to me. The Turkish officer said, "You will not swear?" I said, "No, I will not swear." He said, "Who is Masoud and how do you view him?" I said, "Masoud is our President." He said, "Do you know (Abdullah Ocalan)?" I said, "No, I do not know him." He brought a photo and showed it to me and asked, "Who are they?" I said, "This one is our President and I do not know the other one." A photo of (Masoud and Abdullah Ocalan) that they had taken together was with them and they showed it to me. He said, "How does your President take a photo with (Abdullah Ocalan) and you do not know him?" I said, "They know him then, but I do not know him. I have not seen (Abdullah Ocalan); you are not going to introduce him to me by force!" Then he said, "Whatever force you and your President have, bring them, and in one hour we will destroy them all. What kind of President do you have and what kind of government do you have?!" I told him: "This is not Iran, this is not (Dashta Gawari), these are our own rocks, stones, and places. I swear to the Great God, no matter how many soldiers you bring, you will not take one of them back safely." I noticed that the translator did not translate the end of my words, and I told him, "Why are you not translating it for him?" He said, "Because he will get angry." I told him, "His words are just like mine; why was I not angry, but he will get angry? Translate the same words I tell you." The soldier also asked the translator to translate my words for him... Then he translated my words for him, and the Turkish representative got angry and started threatening to attack. Then I told him, "We have not fought with you. You cannot come from another country and threaten us. Do you think we are the people of Turkey? We have our own separate government and border, and we have not come to do military service for you. You are a (Colonel) and a high-ranking, great person, how can you threaten us?!" He got angry and stood up and asked his group to leave the place, and in the end, he said, "This will not go unpunished for you." That is how our discussion ended, but I was sure that they would cause me harm.
I returned my family and children (to Meroz) and ended our period of bachelorhood which lasted for nearly 5 years. We stayed in our places. President Masoud was at (Branch 1); he called me twice and I went to him in a valley in (Nerwe).
I had been given a nice weapon by the (PKK) forces that took 14-round magazines. You could make it very small, and when you unfolded it, it would become as big as a Kalashnikov. I had the same weapon in my hand. The President said, "Where did you get that weapon?" I told him, "It was given to me as a gift by the (PKK) forces, but let it be for you." He said, "Since it is a gift, it is not appropriate for me." He looked at it, lifted it, and put it down. I told him, "Sir, you must take it from me." Finally, he refused and did not take it.
The President stayed at Branch 1 of the Kurdistan Democratic Party for nearly six months (in the spring of 1987, he toured our region and came to us in (Meroz) and we built a place for him to sit).
When the President arrived in (Meroz), I was on the front line in (Edlbe). We received a message that "he has arrived in (Meroz) and is our guest." I told the group, "I am returning, the (President) has arrived."
We had set up guard posts at three points of the (Mizuri) tribe. One of them was in (Edlbe), one near (Guze village) called (Bermilke), and the other in (Rela). We had set up the (Edlbe) base for (Hipe) security, the (Bermilke) point for monitoring Sherwan, and the (Rela) point for protecting the (Barzan) road. Each of these points was guarded by 10 Peshmerga.
When I returned to (Meroz), I saw a large group of Peshmerga with President Masoud Barzani, nearly 400 people, who had spread out through the village. Our faces and clothes were all covered in dust and dirt, and my nephew (Hussein Hashim) was following me with an RPG on his shoulder. We arrived back in (Meroz) and welcomed them. The President stood up for us, and I said to him, "Sir, forgive me, I cannot shake your hand because we are very untidy."
They stayed the first night, and the next day we built a special place for them. That same day, he asked to see the villagers. In every village, if there was anyone there, we called them, and they gathered in (Meroz). He spoke to them and said, "God willing, He will open a door for us, and you, those who have not left your places until now, we will not forget your service, and a day will come when we will repay that service for you, because your staying in this place and protecting it against the enemy is a great deed and a great honor." He praised the people a lot and then said, "(Ahmed) is our representative here, and I do not believe he has ever done any harm to anyone." The people also spoke and praised and thanked me. Those Argoshis who had returned from (Harir) told the President: "When we came out of Harir, we had nothing. (Ahmed) brought us food and all the supplies." The people of (Tuye village) also said, "Sir, we had no food, we came, and (Ahmed) gave us flour and also gave us mules so we could bring supplies for ourselves."
The (President) stayed with us for four days and nights, and he and all his Peshmerga were served by my family. Later, he returned himself, and we left Dr. Roj with us. We accompanied him until (Spindar village), the President went towards (Zet), and we returned to Meroz.
Dr. Roj stayed with us for 3 days and 3 nights, then returned to Branch 1. We went with him until (Shin River), and we sent some of our Rekani men with him to Region 1, and he became the person in charge of the area.
A few days passed. We were sitting under our shed when we saw 2 planes arrive over the sky of (Zet village), and 2 others followed them. They lowered themselves over our base and then rose. I knew they were going to bomb us. Then they went over the sky of (Sherwan), circled over the sky of (Zet) and (Argosh), returned over our heads, lowered themselves, and bombed us. No one knew what happened.
All 4 fighter jets bombed (Meroz village) together. You would not believe that a human being remained in the village! They would hit the ground with shells, and 40 other shells would come out of them; they called that missile (cluster). The trees and stones of the village turned into fire. (Sadiq Hashim Merozi) my nephew had gone to our old house, and two missiles had been aimed at our house. One of them hit (Sadiq) directly, and it had thrown every piece of his body to a different place. His hand had landed on a rock near the bombing site, and we found some other pieces of his body, collected them, and buried them in the (Meroz) cemetery.
Every place that was hit by a missile was flattened to the ground. They had bombed the place where our base was set up even more, which was also our place of movement and stay. We did not know how their information was so accurate. They had not left anything standing, even the place where the President used to sit, along with the kitchen and the Peshmerga radio station. All the places that the Peshmerga used were bombed.
In that bombing of (Meroz), only my nephew (Sadiq) was martyred, and a woman named (Muht) and her son, who were from the village of (Edlbe) and were staying with us, were wounded.
Four months after the bombing of (Meroz village), (Fathi Salim Argoshi) and someone they called (Khalile Mala Agha) were with us, and we were sitting under the shed, when we saw a gray helicopter circling around itself until it landed in front of the door of our shed.
Our tent was full of Peshmerga, they picked up their weapons and stood in front of the helicopter and surrounded it, those inside the helicopter stood silently and without movement, we called the driver to come out and asked him who are you looking for? He said "For God's sake do not do anything to us", he took a small Quran out of his pocket and pleaded and said "I have come by mistake and I thought it was (Çelê)", I said to him, "So you do not know this is Iran (Mêroz) and not (Çelê)?!" The PKK members who were with us gathered around them and had pointed their weapons through the helicopter window and were demanding to kill them, I did not allow them and asked them to be patient and wait, lest more aircraft come over us and bomb us, every moment I was holding the hand of a PKK gunman, lest he do something wrong. A (Şaşka) man was also inside the aircraft with a number of soldiers and they did not come out of their place inside the aircraft, we quickly contacted the (Leader) via (radio device) and two and a half hours passed since stopping the aircraft, the (Leader) requested that they be released immediately and if you have not done anything to them, let them return immediately, lest Turkish aircraft attack you, at the same time we opened the way for them and asked them not to return again and they returned with thanks.
That aircraft had come to arrest me instead of the PKK forces, they had come with that intention, but when they saw a large number of Peshmerga standing in front of them, they returned empty-handed.
In 1988 at the (Pelê border crossing) which overlooks (Şêrwan) to prevent the attacks of the Iraqi government, we were on alert and the martyr (Fayaq Mahir Ergoş) was with us, the Jash attacked several times and we did not allow them to cross and we defeated them.
We were about 40 Peshmerga, for six days after the (Iraq-Iran) ceasefire agreement, we fought at the (Pelê border crossing), the Jash were attacking alone and without the support of heavy government weapons and were leaving daily by car, to test us whether we would resist or run away, by holding the (Pelê border crossing) which overlooked (Rêla village), the government would easily cross into the (Mizuri tribe), so we did not abandon the crossing.
The Jash were attacking alone and without the help of aircraft, artillery and tanks, and the weapons we had at hand were only (Brno, machine gun, BKC, Kalashnikov and RPG) and they were attacking with the same level of weapons as ours.
We had no casualties in those battles, but according to the information that came back to us, the Jash had a number of wounded.
After a while, the Iraqi government began a major military campaign and began bombing and burning the villages of the Barzan border, the Leader sent us a message to save ourselves by any means and not to face the enemy, so we gathered and fled to the (Turkey) border and through (Ergoş and Mawata village) we crossed at (Basya bridge) to (Herkî village), we stayed for 3 nights, until our representative whom we had previously sent to (Bêzelê) returned, then the Turkish government agreed to let us pass through them without weapons and go to (Iran), we climbed (Bêzelê mountain) on foot (women, children and men), someone named (Şamsaddin Bêdawî) was coming down the mountain, he approached me and grabbed my arm and said: "Do not go up any further otherwise you will be arrested on the Charge of Cooperation with the PKK and your picture is hung up", I told my family "I cannot go up with you and someone will come to meet me on the (Helana) road and I will set off from there and you go".
Many of my personal things that were with my family and children and were kept in a box such as (my photo and the photos of the Barzan leaders and the Provisional Leadership group and 6 letters from the Leader that he had sent to me, for their protection and for fear of them being found by Turkish soldiers they had dug a place and hidden them in them, they were not satisfied with this, they had also lit a fire on them and burned them.
At the time we were fleeing and climbing (Bêzel mountain), (Dr. Kamal Kerkukî) was also with us and his hands were tied and he asked me not to leave him, I told him "I am accused by the Turkish government myself and I must find a way for my escape, how can I help you?!"
Right at the (foot of Bêzel) a boy arrived and asked me to go with him, we went to another village and a dirt road passed through there and he asked me to get into the car, I got in and we set off until we passed (Helana) and reached (Ketina), I was very hungry, we got out and sat in a teahouse and ordered food, we had not yet started eating, a man entered and said "(Ahmed) may you not be tired", I did not know who he was and where he was from, but he knew me well, I answered him and he asked me about the time of arrival and I told him "I just arrived", he said "Okay, I will return to you now", the boy who was with me immediately told me "Get up let's go, that man was Turkish (MIT), he would have you arrested", the morsel of bread was still in my hand and we left, those who were in the teahouse later told the guide "Five minutes after you left, the teahouse was full of Gendarmerie".
Fortunately, we escaped that arrest plot too and set off until we reached the Iranian border and stayed in Shaqlawe village and after a few days my family also arrived and we were sent to (Zêwe complex) and after a while we went to (Rezaye city) and lived there until 2 years passed and then we returned to (Zêwe complex).
After a while they sent me news to prepare myself and return to our areas through the Turkish border, the next day when I returned to the group they refused for me to set off through the Turkish road because of my name being with the Turkish Gendarmerie and me being accused of cooperating with the (PKK).
The 1991 UprisingAt the beginning of the 1991 uprising, Nechirvan Barzani He sent me a letter and asked me to take some people with me and come to him, so that we could return towards Southern Kurdistan. We set off the next day until we reached Sulaymaniyah and stayed in (Sarchinar). Nechirvan had brought 60 Kalashnikovs as a gift with him to distribute among some people. After a few days, we were ordered to go to (Darband-i Bazian) to prevent an attack by the Iraq government.
(I, Ahmed Malaswari, Muhammad-Salim Slori, Qadir Stopayi, Tanjo Barozhi, Hamid Haydar Argushi, and Ali Shaban), along with 300 Peshmerga, set off for (Darband-i Bazian). Nechirvan stayed in (Sarchinar) with a number of other Peshmerga.
The Peshmerga of the PUK and KDP jointly blocked the advances of the Iraq government at (Darband-i Bazian). First, a meeting was held between us to assess the situation. The (western) front of the pass was assigned to our forces, and the eastern front to the PUK forces.
With (Brno, Kalashnikov, machine gun, DShK, and RPG) weapons, our forces were positioned on the western front of the pass. Our DShK was placed right on the main road, so I asked (Ahmed Malaswari) to move it to a higher hill.
We spent that day; there was no movement. At dawn the next day, it was still dark and not a single Peshmerga had fallen asleep yet. A Peshmerga said, "I hear the sound of a plane." After I listened carefully to the sound, I said to the group, "How long until morning?" One said, "It is 6:10 in the morning." I said, "The attack is starting."
The world became bright and the barrels of (tanks) appeared in a row in (Qara Hanjir). First, 2 Russian MiG planes reached above us and circled several times but did not bomb anything. Then 2 helicopters arrived, and later 2 more fighter jets came and bombed the center of (Bazian Complex). It became a scene of screaming and shouting by the people inside the complex, and women and children were screaming together.
The western front was far from the main road, but the eastern front, which was protected by the (PUK) Peshmerga, overlooked the pass, and the government's advances passed by them before reaching our force. When the tanks approached and reached the foothills of the pass, they were fired upon by the PUK Peshmerga, and the tanks retreated immediately and in a hurry. Our forces had not yet fired a single bullet because we were far away and our firing would have been useless.
The DShK on the eastern front fired at the plane, and that was all we saw before it was bombed by the plane, and pieces of the DShK and the Peshmerga were falling from the sky. The bombing was very violent and a large number of PUK Peshmerga were martyred.
The battle did not last more than 2 hours. Our group said, "What should we do?" I told them, "What can we do from here? Our bullets have no effect, and the plane is circling. If it bombs us, not a single Peshmerga will survive."
The PUK Peshmerga broke and retreated. When they broke, we also started to retreat. The Iraq government set off towards (Sulaymaniyah) with tanks. On foot, 300 Peshmerga took the path to reach a safe place. We lost our way and did not know where we were going and how we would survive!.
We reached a village, we do not know what village it is. People were running, and women and children were following each other. We stopped in one of the villages. A woman was baking bread. I asked her to give me some bread, and in return, I would give her a 14-round pistol. The woman said, "Go, do not stay here." One of us was with us; he put a stick into the bread and took some bread and ran away. No matter how much the woman shouted, it was useless, and it was good that my share of that bread theft was a piece of bread.
We continued our journey, passing (village by village), and reached a place they said was the village of (Piramagrun), and there were a few houses there. The mountain that overlooks it is (Mount Piramagrun).
Hungry, exhausted, and tired, the rain was continuous and had brought the earth and sky together. I was walking behind the Peshmerga. I came across an (RPG) and asked whose weapon this was. A Peshmerga said, "It is mine and I cannot carry it anymore." I had no strength left for anything. We walked and reached a valley. It rained until the evening of that day as well. The group came and said an Argushi Peshmerga had fallen inside a cave and was no longer moving. I went to him, and his tongue had stopped moving. I put a piece of dried date in his mouth, it came out from one of his lips, and I told the group, "That's it, that Peshmerga has lost his life." We left him inside the cave, and by the morning of the second day, they said another one of our Peshmerga had lost his life, who was from (Dohuk) and was a Peshmerga of (Khalid Shli).
In (Piramagrun), a man reached us with two children and a woman. He had a Kalashnikov and said, "Let this weapon of mine be for you." We said to him, "Why, and what should we do with it? We have enough of our own." They climbed that mountain.
When the sound of gunfire was heard and the shouting of some Peshmerga rose, and they called out that the government had come, I went to look and asked how it was possible for the government to pass through that area. Later, they investigated it; it was just our own Peshmerga who had shot at (cows) and killed 6 of them. The Peshmerga were so hungry that they did not leave a single piece of meat and even ate the (rump) of the cows. The next morning, all the Peshmerga suffered from (diarrhea). One of our Peshmerga had also lost his life; we asked some of the people living in the village to bury him as a charity, and we left the body.
With all our physical strength, we climbed (Mount Piramagrun). When we reached the peak of the mountain, we saw that both of those children who were with us the night before had lost their lives, and their mother and father had also left, and they had covered them with a handkerchief and piled some stones around them. I cried over their grave for a while and set off.
We continued our journey until we reached (Mawat), 2 days and 2 nights passed, a large force of (PUK) Peshmerga were in (Mawat), we looked for some pieces of bread, we collected a small amount, but who is it enough for and who is it not enough for?! Therefore, we asked the PUK forces for supplies, they said you must visit (Jalal), he is in a cave on that mountain that overlooks (Mawat), they asked who should go? Later, each of (me and Ahmed Mala Swari and Tanjo) were designated, we set off and walked until we climbed up the mountain and they had torn the tent and put wood under it and it had become like a platform, (Jalal) was sitting on it and his wife (Hero) was with him along with his guards, they called out (Mam Jalal) the Barzanis have arrived, (Jalal) came out and asked about our fatigue and said "It is good that you arrived, I have just received a telegram from (Kak Masoud) and he said those Barzanis who are there should not return and should be with you and you should look after them and provide them with bread and food, let them not return", I said to him "Where should we not return to?" He said "Do not return", I said "Then where should we be?" He said "Be with us and there is no difference between us", I said to him "We also do not say there is a difference, but who can tell those 300 men down there to stay" He said "Why?" I said "They have not eaten or drunk anything, they have nothing with them and they are hungry, naked and miserable, 2 of them even died on the way, how can we tell them not to return! We cannot tell them, if you are coming to ask them, go ahead", he wrote a letter for us to receive some flour and he also asked us to answer him regarding the staying or not staying of our forces. Right there in our meeting (Jalal) said "Do not worry, (Iraq) is negotiating with us".
We returned to (Jalal) and took the letter and they gave us 9 sacks of flour, we distributed the flour to the Peshmerga by Nido milk cans and each 3 Peshmerga got one can, and we had nothing to make it into dough and then bake it on, I kneaded the dough in a military (hood) and I found an empty oil tin and I flattened it, and the group went and brought some wood, my cousin (Fahmi Shalal) came and said "Ahmed, I will knead it", he added some more water and this time our dough was runny, so we went and wandered to find some more flour so that our dough would become firm, it was good that we got some, we made the dough and I put it on the tin and it went down over it and fell into the mud, we were picking up the dough from inside the mud and eating it.
Except for (bread) there was nothing else to eat, after a lot of fatigue, we were able to bake some bread and eat it. The morning of the next day we got up and I told my superiors let us make a request to the Peshmerga and they refused to tell them, then we decided to go towards (Bole village) which is located on the Iran-Iraq border.
We stayed in (Bole) and a river is located between the border of the two Countries, the next morning some of our men left. A group of us stayed and we moved around in that area and it was good that flour was found and it was baked on a stone, but it tasted good. After 3 days Sirwan Barzani arrived and we were happy with his arrival and he said "Nechirvan sent me and apologized, because of the deterioration of their Situation he could not reach us", Sirwan said "Now we are returning, then we will send you a car and you also return".
I with 3 Peshmerga with Sirwan Barzani returned and he himself asked that I be with him, he put me in his car and we set off via the Iran road to (Haji Omaran) and we did not stop until (Sardaw) to (President Barzani).
After our forces returned to (Iran), that Argoshi Peshmerga who was with us and whom we had left for dead in a cave of (Piramagrun Mountain), had reached (Iran) and recovered, but until now I have not asked him how he returned.
We were in (Sardaw), the (President said "We are going to (Baghdad)", I said to the President "If you go to (Baghdad) sir, give (Tatke) to us too so it can be complete", the President laughed a lot.
The President went to (Baghdad) and I returned to (Iran) and until the year 1992 and to participate in the (elections) I returned with my family and children to Southern Kurdistan and after the election I returned to (Iran) and in the year 1993 I returned permanently to Southern Kurdistan. In the civil war between (PUK and KDP) also as a supporting force with Branch 10 we were there wherever there was fighting and attacking. Now I have been retired with the rank of (Brigadier General) and I reside in my house in the (Barzan-Soran) neighborhood.
Interview: Sirwan Mahmoud