On the morning of April 24, 1974, the Iraqi army launched attacks against the areas under the control of the Kurdistan Revolution and went to the battlefield with all its strength and continued its advances to occupy the entire territory of Kurdistan. Some of their forces attempted to go to Sangaw on the Kirkuk-Sulaymaniyah road before reaching Chamchamal on April 25, 1974 and begin the attack. The force units consisted of the 2nd Battalion of the 4th Force of the 2nd Kirkuk Division, with the help of a tank battalion to lead the force. It seems that the Iraqi army was not aware that the Peshmerga of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Kirkuk Force would resist as much as they could.
In the Shiwa Sur area, Peshmerga forces were positioned in defensive positions, a large concrete barrier stood in front of the advancing Iraqi forces, and anti-tank and anti-personnel mines were placed along the path of the attacking army. When the battle began, some Iraqi army tanks were hit by mines and destroyed. At that time, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion, Colonel Ziyaddin Jamal, ordered that tanks not enter the front line of the attack except when necessary.
After the infantry continued their attack, they were suddenly hit by Peshmerga fire and mines. After 8 hours of continuous fighting and clashes, the Iraqi army was defeated by the strong Peshmerga defense. Heavy human and material losses were incurred, with dozens of dead and wounded. One of the dead was the battalion commander's special guard. Material losses included the destruction of 6 tanks, 3 armored vehicles, and many military vehicles, as well as the seizure of many small and medium weapons.
Source:
- Senger Ibrahim Khosnaw, Military Events of September Revolution 1970-1975, 1st Edition, Hewlêr, 2022.
- Karwan Jewher Mihemed, Idris Barzani 1944-1987 His Life and Political and Military Role in the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Hêvi Press, Hewlêr, 2019.
