This time, the war was started by the Iraqi government with a precise military plan and decisive preparations in various regions of Kurdistan. After exerting great pressure on Peshmerga positions through successive attacks and intensive artillery and aerial bombardment on the Akre (Aqrah) region, and as a result of this severe pressure and a shortage of ammunition, the Peshmerga forces retreated from those positions to Mount Peris. With the collapse of this defense line, the headquarters of the Akre and Sheikhan force in the Sharman cave, led by Hasso Mirxan Dolmari, was attacked by government forces. Although the government's attacks were thwarted by the Peshmerga forces and caused them heavy losses, the Peshmerga would seize the weapons of the army and mercenaries after every repelled attack. However, the government continued its offensive with a large military force, mercenaries, and support from long-range artillery and warplanes.
As a result of all these successive attacks by government forces, they managed to control several positions and the village of Shush, which the Peshmerga forces led by Omar Agha Dolmari were defending. The Peshmerga forces devised a plan to recapture these positions because if these positions were not regained, the force's headquarters would have to be moved elsewhere. The Peshmerga attack plan against the government forces was set on three axes: the first axis consisted of an attack on the west of Shush village led by Omar Agha Dolmari; another force in the east of the village led by Haji Mirxan Dolmari and Mullah Aziz Ziwiyi; and another force led by Hormoz Malik Chako the Christian to close the road from the south so they could be surrounded.
In this attack launched by the Peshmerga, the government forces suffered a major defeat, evacuated their positions, and left the bodies of their dead on the battlefield. It was imminent that the commander of the government forces, Staff Colonel Saab Hardan, would be captured, but at that moment, Omar Agha, the Peshmerga commander, was wounded and the Peshmerga were preoccupied with him. The aforementioned took advantage of the opportunity, fled, and escaped from the hands of the Peshmerga.
After Omar Agha moved away from the battlefront due to his injury to receive treatment, Hormoz Malik Chako took his place. The Iraqi Army launched another wide campaign of attack and assault on the Peshmerga positions on June 27, 1963, with the aim of removing the Peshmerga from the entire region, especially after the afternoon when the fighting intensified. However, the Peshmerga defended their positions fiercely until they managed to thwart this attack as well and force the government forces to retreat, leaving 12 bodies on the battlefield. In an Iraqi Army telegram numbered (1045) dated June 28, which fell into the hands of the Peshmerga in this battle, they admitted to 27 dead and 51 wounded.
After all these attacks and assaults launched by the government forces to seize the force's headquarters in the Sharman cave, they were unable to achieve their goal. Instead, they suffered a major defeat and heavy losses, because the Peshmerga, led by Hormoz Malik Chako in the Shush area, were able to hold their ground and defend, not allowing them to make any progress. Therefore, the forces were forced to withdraw toward Dinarta and Mount Peris.
Sources:1- Karwan Jawhar Muhammad, Idris Barzani 1944-1987, Life and Political and Military Role in the Kurdish Liberation Movement, (Hevi Press - Erbil - 2019).
2- Wali Zubair Hostan, Several Events and Incidents in the Barzan Revolutions and Uprisings, First Edition, (Rojhalat Press - Erbil - 2017).
3- Haji Mirxan Dolmari, Searching for Justice, Volume One, Second Edition, (Isra Press - Tehran - 2021).
4- Masoud Barzani, Barzani and the Kurdish Liberation Movement, Volume Three, Part One, September Revolution 1961-1975, First Edition, 2004.
5- Ari Karim, Several Living Pages from the September Revolution, (Khabat Press - Duhok - 1999).