The Iraqi Ministry of Defense had planned a widespread attack on Kurdistan in the spring of 1966, which it intended to implement on April 15, just as it had carried out a broad offensive in various parts of Kurdistan the previous year and had taken control of several places. However, the Peshmerga forces in Zakho, under the command of Isa Suwar and Ramazan Isa, thought of a partisan activity so that the government forces would not think that the Peshmerga were unable to resist the attacks, and that they were not only in a defensive situation but could also carry out partisan activities deep within the government's forces. For this, they planned an attack within the borders of Zakho city, at the Nergiz Pass, which was an important place for military traffic.
To carry out this battle, about 400 Peshmerga prepared themselves with weapons and war supplies. In March 1966, they began to move to cover a long distance and get closer to the target location. On their route, which crossed the main road between Zakho and Hassan Awa, they passed through the Iraqi Army outposts at night until they reached the place where they wanted to carry out the activity. When it became day, the Peshmerga hid in an unknown place until the evening, then they approached the government's military bases and outposts at Nergiz Pass.
The Peshmerga forces, with a solid plan, began preparations to attack the army camp. They set up their cannons towards the camp and the battle began in the evening. The attack began with 120mm mortars shelling all the military outposts along with the camp. After the shelling, the Peshmerga forces began the attack on the bases, outposts, and trenches of the Iraqi Army. It seems that the Iraqi Army forces showed weak resistance, so trench after trench fell into the hands of the Peshmerga until the camp was completely taken over.
In that partisan activity, the camp of an Iraqi Army company with all its equipment fell into the hands of the Peshmerga, and two regiments of mercenaries (Arab Jash) were completely destroyed. The human and material losses of the government forces were so great as indicated below:
1- Complete seizure of the Nergiz Pass camp.
2- Destruction of a military company and two regiments of Arab Jash.
3- Killing of about 100 soldiers and Arab Jash.
4- Capture of 86 soldiers and Jash who were transferred to the liberated areas.
Gains:
1- Seizure of 70 pieces of various weapons.
2- Seizure of a large amount of ammunition and military equipment.
What is worth noting in this battle is that the Peshmerga forces had only one wounded.
After the end of the battle and the successful completion of the partisan activity, the Peshmerga forces returned to their bases and headquarters without losses. Although the government had set up ambushes for them in several places with large forces with the intention of taking revenge, the Peshmerga had made full preparations and had good knowledge of the entire area, so when they received news, they changed their return route and escaped through another path.
Nergiz Battle It was a unique victory for the Peshmerga and at the same time a great achievement for the revolution over the government army. On the other hand, it had an effective role in boosting the morale of the Peshmerga. Also, it became clear to the government that the Peshmerga forces, whenever they intended, could reach everywhere, near and far, to carry out Peshmerga activities.
It is worth mentioning that this victory and other Peshmerga victories over the Iraqi Army in various regions made the government come to terms with listening to the Kurdish demands and restarting another round of negotiations.
Sources:1- Ari Karim, Some Living Pages in the Aylul Revolution, Khabat Printing House, Duhok 1999.
2- Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Three, Part One, Aylul Revolution 1961-1975, First Edition 2004.
3- Hawkar Karim Hama Sharif: Aylul Revolution, Salahaddin University Printing House, First Edition, Erbil, 2012.
4- Ibrahim Jalal, Southern Kurdistan and the Aylul Revolution: Building and Collapse 1961-1975, Fourth Edition, 2021.