Draft:Battle of Mount Handrin

Battle of Mount Handrin
Part of First Iraqi–Kurdish War

Mustafa Barzani and Uri Sagi after the battle (Idris Barzani on the far right)
Date11-12 May 1966
Location
Iraqi Kurdistan, Rawanduz
Result Kurdish victory
Belligerents
Kurdistan Region Peshmerga Iraqi forces Surrendered[a]
Commanders and leaders
Mustafa Barzani
Israel Uri Sagi
Idris Barzani[3]		 Abdul Rahman Arif
Units involved
“Thousands” of Peshmerga[4]
1,000 soldiers according to Uri Sagi		 4th and 2nd Brigade
Casualties and losses
Unknown 1,400-5,000 killed[b]
Entire 4th Brigade killed
980 rifles captured (according to Barzani)

Battle of Mount Handrin was fought in 1966 during the First Iraqi-Kurdish war between Kurdish forces led by Mustafa Barzani and the Iraqi Army east of Rawandiz. It was the most significant defeat suffered by Iraqi forces.[11]

Background

In April 1966, Iraqi President Abdul Salam Arif was killed in a helicopter crash, after which his brother, Abdul Rahman Arif, took power. Following this transition, the Iraqi government resumed military action against Kurdish forces led by Mullah Mustafa Barzani.[12][13]

The Iraqis launched there offensive, after several days of fighting the Kurdish defense positions began to collapse. An ammunition convoy from Iran took the wrong route and never arrived. Things looked bad for the Kurdish forces. Due to this the IDF commander Sagi received an order from Israel to return home, although he refused it.[14]

Battle

The Iraqi force’s initially made progress, securing the Rawanduz Gorge and advancing to capture Mount Handrin and Mount Zozik. However, Iraqi forces established their camp in the valley between the two mountains while leaving the surrounding high ground undefended. Barzani took advantage of this and quickly moved his forces to Mount Handrin. In the early hours, Sagy ordered a group of Peshmerga holding the front line to carry out a tactical withdrawal, leaving a gap in the lines. Iraqi forces advanced through the opening, believing they had achieved a breakthrough. However, they did not secure the surrounding high ground, where Kurdish fighters had taken concealed positions. Kurdish forces then launched an attack from the heights above, striking several Iraqi battalions.[6]

In over two days of fighting, Iraqi forces suffered heavy casualties. Those who retreated left behind heavy equipment and withdrew over the mountains. Some units surrendered, while others deserted after reaching safety.[15] The 5,000-man Iraqi brigade was wiped out. Mr. Sagi recalls Iraqi officers driving up in two jeeps waving white flags to surrender.[16]

It was the most significant defeat suffered by Iraqi forces. The attack involved the use of mortars and artillery. With soldiers fleeing their positions. And many soldiers deserting, including some who defected to the Kurdish side.[11]

The defeat at Mount Handrin brought the entire 1966 Iraqi offensive to a halt.[15] One report stated that while the offensive had been called off the Kurds were still mobile, retaining their initiative. It went on to say that in the fighting at Mount Handrin several Iraqi army platoons had surrendered and that both military and civilian hospitals were filled with military casualties.[17]


Twelve-Point Plan

The Baghdad authorities rushed out false information, alleging the “rebels had suffered a severe defeat” and that only a few pockets of resistance remained. Barzani at first not seeming to realise the publicity value of his tactical victory. It was not until 21 May that he issued a press release over his new Radio Kurdistan, claiming that “two army units had been surrounded on 11 and 12 May, and had lost 1000 killed” and that he had captured “980 rifles, six guns and large quantities of ammunition”.[19]

Following the defeat, the Iraqi government moved toward negotiations with Kurdish leadership.[12] After several weeks of talks, the Iraqi Prime Minister announced a “Twelve-Point Plan,” known as the Bazzaz Declaration, on 29 June 1966. The plan addressed a number of Kurdish demands and was accepted by Barzani. However, the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s Sixth Congress indicated that Kurdish leaders would continue to press for autonomy later in 1966. The declaration was also welcomed by the United States.[14] It was not implemented however, due to his overthrow by the Ba’ath Party in 1968.[20]

The agreement included:[6]

  1. Recognition of Kurdish national rights;
  2. Administrative decentralization to give effect to these rights;
  3. Recognition of Kurdish as an official language;
  4. Kurdish representation in parliament;
  5. A Kurdish share of official positions;
  6. Scholarships for Kurds and the establishment of a university branch in the north;
  7. Appointment of Kurdish local government officials;
  8. Recognition of Kurdish political organizations;
  9. Amnesty for Kurds;
  10. Return of Kurdish guerrillas to previous posts, with some retained in an approved organization (i.e., the Peshmerga);
  11. Relief and economic assistance;
  12. Resettlement of Kurds and others in their traditional locales.

Notes

  1. ^ Iraqi officers came to the Kurdish forces waving white flags to surrender.[1] Several Iraqi army platoons had surrendered.[2]
  2. ^ The death-toll number varies; 1,400-2,000[5][6] 2,000[7][8] 3,000,[9] although sources like the New York Times give a number of 5,000 deaths.[10]

References

  1. ^ Halbfinger, David M. (2017-09-22). "Israel Endorsed Kurdish Independence. Saladin Would Have Been Proud". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  2. ^ O'Ballance, E. (1995-12-18). The Kurdish Struggle, 1920-94. Springer. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-230-37742-4.
  3. ^ "Idris Barzani: The architect of Kurdish reconciliation". Shafaq News. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  4. ^ Connable, Ben (2025-03-03). Ground Combat: Puncturing the Myths of Modern War. Georgetown University Press. pp. 132, chapter 5. ISBN 978-1-64712-543-1.
  5. ^ Reisinezhad, Arash (2018-07-06). The Shah of Iran, the Iraqi Kurds, and the Lebanese Shia. Springer. p. 130. ISBN 978-3-319-89947-3.
  6. ^ a b c Gibson, Bryan R. (2016-04-29). Sold Out? US Foreign Policy, Iraq, the Kurds, and the Cold War. Springer. pp. 96–97. ISBN 978-1-137-51715-9.
  7. ^ Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness, 1948-1991. U of Nebraska Press. 2004-01-01. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-8032-8783-9.
  8. ^ O'Ballance, E. (1995-12-18). The Kurdish Struggle, 1920-94. Springer. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-230-37742-4.
  9. ^ Galula, Natan. "Legendary Israeli general: Time to take out Iran's leadership". Israel Today. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  10. ^ Halbfinger, David M. (2017-09-22). "Israel Endorsed Kurdish Independence. Saladin Would Have Been Proud". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  11. ^ a b Malovany, Pesach (2017-07-21). Wars of Modern Babylon: A History of the Iraqi Army from 1921 to 2003. University Press of Kentucky. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-8131-6944-6.
  12. ^ a b Zedalis, Rex J. (2012-05-16). Oil and Gas in the Disputed Kurdish Territories: Jurisprudence, Regional Minorities and Natural Resources in a Federal System. Routledge. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-136-30025-7.
  13. ^ Bertelsen, Judy (1977). Nonstate Nations in International Politics: Comparative System Analyses. Praeger Publishers. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-275-56320-2.
  14. ^ a b Reisinezhad, Arash (2018-07-06). The Shah of Iran, the Iraqi Kurds, and the Lebanese Shia. Springer. p. 130. ISBN 978-3-319-89947-3.
  15. ^ a b Pollack, Kenneth Michael (2002). Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness, 1948-1991. University of Nebraska Press. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-8032-3733-9.
  16. ^ Halbfinger, David M. (2017-09-22). "Israel Endorsed Kurdish Independence. Saladin Would Have Been Proud". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  17. ^ O'Ballance, E. (1995-12-18). The Kurdish Struggle, 1920-94. Springer. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-230-37742-4.
  18. ^ Galula, Natan. "Legendary Israeli general: Time to take out Iran's leadership". Israel Today. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  19. ^ O'Ballance, E. (1995-12-18). The Kurdish Struggle, 1920-94. Springer. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-230-37742-4.
  20. ^ Neriah, Jacques. Kurdistan: The Next Flashpoint Between Turkey, Iraq, and the Syrian Revolt (PDF). p. 7.
This page will be placed in the following categories if it is moved to the article namespace.
Categories:

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.