One of the plans of the Ba'ath regime to weaken the Kurd revolution was to arm many young Kurds and organize them within the framework of light battalions (Khafifa). Because of that, a large number became mercenary gunmen and were set against their revolution. On a day in the Year 1987, a Peshmerga force belonging to the August 16 Organization of the Kurdistan Democratic Party went on a patrol in the Batifa area with the intention of carrying out a partisan activity. During that outing, they identified a base of mercenary gunmen (Jash) to attack and capture, in order to deal a blow to the military and armed forces of the Ba'ath regime. Initially, the Peshmerga were able to reach the vicinity of the Rabaya at 9:00 PM. They approached it to within about 50 meters and kept the movements of the gunmen under observation for a while. It became clear to them that 19 gunmen were on duty in the Rabaya.

 The Peshmerga were stationed at the observation point of the gunmen's base, waiting for the order to attack, but they needed more force, so they moved away from the location. At that same time, another Peshmerga force was in the village of Haruri and had a Dushka with them. They were informed to participate in the activity and to set up the Dushka in a place in the village of Deshe to protect the Peshmerga as a support force. If the government's warplanes attacked them, they would repel them with the Dushka weapon so that the Peshmerga could escape safely during their return. A part of them would also participate in the battle by attacking the Rabaya so that the attacking force would be larger in number and could easily overcome the Rabaya.

 At 11:30 PM, both forces met and rested for a while until 1:30 AM. Then they began preparations and set off toward the Rabaya. At 2:45 AM, they reached the front of the Rabaya and saw that only two guards were watching the west and east of the Rabaya. After they received the order to start the attack, the guards of the Rabaya did not put up any resistance from the very first burst of gunfire. The one on the east was hit by a bullet and his hand was wounded. The other one, who was in the western part of the Rabaya, fled. Then all the gunmen of the Rabaya, some of them fled, and 10 of their gunmen were taken prisoner, and the Rabaya was captured.

 In that Peshmerga activity, the gains of the revolution consisted of seizing 8 Kalashnikov rifles, one RPG, one Tantriov machine gun, one pair of binoculars, and a large amount of other equipment. After the activity ended, the Peshmerga force left the place and returned to their bases with the spoils and the prisoner gunmen. At 6:00 AM, they sent a telegram to Muhammad Salih, the official of the Amedi district committee, and informed him of the successful execution of an activity in which they had also taken 10 gunmen prisoner. He expressed his happiness, thanked them greatly, congratulated them on the success, and then gave them the reward for the victory. 

Sources:

1- Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Four, 1975-1990 Gulan Revolution, Part Two, First Edition, Roxana Printing House, 2021.  

2- Muhammad Murad, Khabata Chia, Memories and Events of the Gulan Revolution between the years (1976-1989), Kurdistan Printing House – Zakho, 2007.