Before the resumption of the war, the Iraqi government dissolved the border guard system, which was part of the March 11 1970 agreement. In their place, they armed the tribes. During that period, an Iraqi Army barracks existed in the city of Zakho. The Iraqi government reneged on the March 11 agreement, evaded implementing the clauses and articles of the agreement, and once again imposed war on the Kurds. It began bombing the cities and towns of Kurdistan and launched a military offensive against the areas under the control of the revolution. The Iraqi Army barracks in Zakho was besieged by the Zakho Peshmerga force commanded by Isa Siwar, and it contained nearly a thousand soldiers.
The Fourth Division of the Iraqi Army, commanded by Brigadier General Abdul-Jabbar al-Asadi, advanced from Mosul toward the city of Zakho on March 26, 1974, with the intention of carrying out a widespread attack. It continued to bomb the city until April 30, 1974. Also in the Badinan region, besides Zakho, the city of Dohuk was subjected to an attack and bombardment by the army on April 25, 1974. The government did not stop there; at the beginning of the resumption of the war, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense decided to re-establish the (Jash) battalions to be directly affiliated with the army. It also appointed a military officer for each battalion of mercenaries as the battalion commander, and the head of the mercenaries became an advisor to the officer. Their number was approximately 6000 fighters from the Surchi, Herki, Zebari, Bradost, and Khoshnaw tribes, etc.
The Iraqi Army's objective in that attack was to break the Peshmerga siege on the aforementioned barracks and to seize the city with the support of tanks, artillery, armored vehicles, and warplanes. Initially, the army's advances continued without any obstacles until they reached the vicinity of the region. However, in Gali Zakho, the Peshmerga of the Zakho force resisted and fought to stop the army's advances and eventually defeat them. Despite the fact that the Peshmerga force had taken up good positions and were shelling the army's offensive and the besieged barracks with mortars, because of the large size of the government forces in terms of the number of soldiers and advanced heavy weapons such as tanks and armored vehicles, the Peshmerga could not stop the large Iraqi Army force for more than a few weeks. After heavy losses in soldiers and the destruction of tanks and military equipment, the army was able to break the siege on the barracks and took control of the city of Zakho on May 1.
The Iraqi Army did not stop there, but opened fire on the civilian citizens of the city, resulting in 63 Martyrs and 150 wounded. After the army entered the city of Zakho, the Peshmerga force retreated to the surrounding villages. They established their base and Headquarters in Gali Harina in the village of Armshe. They created another line of defense once again to prevent the army's advances and attacks. In the city of Dohuk, before the army's attack, the Peshmerga went toward Gali Dohuk, established their force's Headquarters in the village of Bakhurnif, and set up a line of defense. The Iraqi Army launched a widespread attack on Gali Dohuk and the Keli Shedaye mountain, but it could not see any progress, and its attacks were defeated.
Sources:1- Hozhin Masoud Sarni, The September Revolution in the Behdinan Region 1061- 1975, First Edition, 2018.
2- Sangar Ibrahim Khoshnaw, Military Events of the September Revolution 1970-1975, First Edition, Erbil, 2022.
3- Karwan Jawhar Muhammad, Idris Barzani 1944- 1987 Life and Political and Military Role in the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Hevi Printing House, Erbil, 2019.
4- Shawkat Mullah Ismail Hassan, Days in the History of the September Revolution, Ministry of Education Printing House, Erbil – 2007.