The Rashava Valley is located in the Amedi and Dereluk area in the Badinan region([1]), due to the geographical location and the sympathy of the residents of the area for the Peshmerga forces, carrying out guerrilla activities was easier, which is why, in terms of revolution and resistance, like all other regions of Kurdistan, they had an effective role in supporting the revolution. The Iraqi government often launched broad campaigns against Kurdistan in specific areas to reclaim the places that had fallen into the hands of the Peshmerga and to silence the voice of the revolution in general, and with all its armed forces, it would confront the forces of the revolution, because the movements of the Peshmerga and their activities had increased in most areas. From the beginning of January 1987, the Iraqi Army and other armed forces launched a broad campaign against Atrosh and the Kanika Castle in Badinan, which lasted nearly 20 days, under the pretext that those areas had fallen under the authority and influence of the Peshmerga forces([2]). 

      The Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan, with the military capability they had at their disposal in terms of the number of Peshmerga, weapons, and ammunition, would confront the government forces and inflict fatal blows upon them. It is clear, as indicated, that the government had undertaken a major military campaign in the Atrosh area at the beginning of January 1987. The Peshmerga forces in other areas, to reduce the pressure of the army and the government's armed forces on the battlefront, would block the military convoys and carry out various activities.

     Late in the evening of January 11, 1987, around four o'clock, a lot of gunfire was heard in Gali Rashava. The Peshmerga forces had blocked the main roads from Amedi to Dereluk and very fiercely targeted the military convoys and attacked them as they were passing along the road towards the battlefront. In addition to that, they attacked the Headquarters of the Dereluk Regiment, the Ba'ath Party Headquarters, and the security base of the town. It is clear that this campaign by the Peshmerga forces against the Iraqi forces caused them great losses, which consisted of burning the headquarters of the regiment, the Ba'ath Party, and the security base, as well as destroying an 82mm mortar, two military tanks, one armored vehicle, and a military vehicle([3]).        

       It is worth mentioning that the activities of the Peshmerga in most regions of Kurdistan had spread in such a way that it had harassed the government, which was always thinking of carrying out a military campaign to remove the threat to its agencies and institutions.

     

Sources:
  1. https://www.facebook.com/103736608439721/photos/a.106062804873768/106311994848849/?type=3
  2. Masoud Barzani: Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Four, 1975-1990 Gulan Revolution, Part Two, First Edition, Roxana Printing House, 2021.  
  3. Shimal Zebari: Some Hidden Truths in the Gulan Revolution, First Edition, Rojhalat Printing House, Erbil – 2015.  

 

[1] - https://www.facebook.com/103736608439721/photos/a.106062804873768/106311994848849/?type=3

[2] - Shimal Zebari: Some Hidden Truths in the Gulan Revolution, First Edition, Rojhalat Printing House, Erbil – 2015, pp. 356-374.  

[3] - Masoud Barzani: Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Four, 1975-1990 Gulan Revolution, Part Two, First Edition, Roxana Printing House, 2021, p. 75.