On February 8, 1963, the Ba'athists and Arab nationalists seized power in Iraq through a military coup. Initially, there was no mention of Kurdish autonomy or recognition of the Kurdish nation in the political agenda of the new regime. This absence of Kurdish rights raised concerns and signaled a dangerous future for the Kurds. It became apparent that this was not a coup aimed at democratizing Iraq but rather one of revenge and repression.
Despite this, the Kurdish revolutionary leadership sent a congratulatory telegram to the coup leaders, expressing a willingness to engage. For a brief period following the coup, military actions against the Kurds ceased for three months, and negotiations were initiated. However, the Ba'athists showed no genuine intent to resolve the Kurdish issue. As a result, the negotiations quickly broke down, and the Ba'athist regime resumed its military operations against the Kurdish population.
On May 2, 1963, the army issued a general order to impose an economic embargo on Kurdistan, and soon afterwards, on June 1, 1963, fighting resumed. One of the battles we want to talk about here was the attack on the village of Bawakhoshin near Darbandikhan. After the Peshmerga forces of Karadag received news that the Iraqi army had launched an attack to occupy the village, they immediately began preparing to confront the army.
On August 4, 1963, at 8 am, the Iraqi army launched an offensive from Darbandikhan, aiming to seize control of Bawkhoshin and Gulan villages. However, the Peshmerga forces had already prepared for the attack and were determined to prevent the Iraqi army from advancing.
As the ground offensive began, a fierce battle ensued between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi forces. After two hours of intense combat, the Iraqi army suffered a major defeat and was forced to retreat back to the Darbandikhan military base.
Although the battle resulted in heavy casualties for the Iraqi forces, with significant damage to their equipment and personnel, the Peshmerga forces only sustained two wounded.
Sources:
١- هۆشەنگ صالح نەجار، شۆرشى ئەیلوول لە رۆژنامە و بڵاوکارەو عێراقیەکاندا ١٩٦١ – ١٩٧٦، چاپخانەى دانشفەڕ، هەولێر – ٢٠٢٣.
٢- هاوکار کەریم حەمە شەریف، شۆڕشی ئەیلوول، چاپخانەى زانکۆى سەلاحەدین، چاپى یەکەم، هەولێر، ٢٠١٢.
٣- مسعود بارزانی، بارزانی و بزوتنەوەى ڕزگاریخوازی کورد، بەرگی سێیەم، بەشی یەکەم، شۆڕشی ئەیلوول ١٩٦١-١٩٧٥، چاپخانەى وەزارەتى ڕۆشنبیرى، چ: یەکەم، هەولێر، ٢٠٠٤.
٤- خۆشەوى عەلى کانیە لنجى، بیرەوەریەکانى عەزیز قادر حەمەد سورچى، چاپخانەى دانیشفەر، چاپى یەکەم، هەولێر - ٢٠٢٣.
