Medal and Leave - 7

11 notes from an Iraqi captive

Compiled by Hedayatollah Behboudi
Translated by: M.B. Khoshnevisan

2025-9-14

Medal and Leave - 7

11 notes from an Iraqi captive

Compiled by Hedayatollah Behboudi

Translated by: M.B. Khoshnevisan

***

Episode 7: A journey to the forbidden zone

The pattern and criterion of tranquility in any area of the front was a forbidden zone. If the distance between the contact lines of the Islamic forces and Saddam's army increased, the forbidden zone expanded, and consequently, security and tranquility were established. Otherwise, the situation would become tense.

"Chalat" was considered a calm and monotonous area, a place for regrouping and reorganization. Our unit was rebuilt time and again in this area, and after a while, following an attack, its formation was disrupted. Some were killed and wounded, some went missing, and others were captured. To compensate for them, people were gathered from the streets, schools, homes, and alleys—including brothers, fathers, grandsons, and grandfathers from the same family—to keep the furnace of the disgraceful Qadessiyeh hotter. They brought us some inexperienced and untrained individuals. Imagine what problems arose!

On a quiet night in January 1983, the moon was on leave. After the men were divided among the battalions of the 604th Infantry Brigade, we gathered around Lieutenant Fazel Ali, and he said, "O brave men, which of you will come with me on an ambush?" 

His words gave the impression that he wanted to test the men. About eight individuals were selected to go on the ambush. After carrying their weapons, supplies, and necessary equipment, they set out through the valleys and hills toward the restricted area.

Many of them had neither heard the sound of explosions nor ever witnessed a scene of conflict with their own eyes. They imagined the war as a recreational outing or a hunting trip, nothing more. As the night wore on, darkness and gloom engulfed the entire area. They grew weary of climbing, descending, and wandering around the hills and decided to find a safe place to rest. Many of them, exhausted, fell into a deep sleep—under the illusion that everything was going according to their wishes and that nothing would ever go wrong.

The start time of the maneuver was gradually approaching, and yet they were still intoxicated by the wine of tranquility. A young teenager—perhaps fifteen years old—stood firm and steady on a hill, behind which the "reconnaissance team" and the brave ambushers had stationed themselves, watching them. Suddenly, he threw a grenade toward them, which exploded just a few steps away. The members of the team scrambled to their feet and, due to the intense darkness, could not find their comrades. Then, another grenade was thrown, followed by a rain of bullets pouring down on the valley. A strange uproar ensued. Four of the ambush soldiers, who had survived, decided to retaliate, and this intense confrontation ended with the escape of four individuals, including the ambush commander, Lieutenant Fazel.

They were so anxious and confused that they lost their way and quickly passed through the minefield positions. Suddenly, the ground shook with violent explosions beneath their feet. Two of them were torn to pieces, and three others were injured.

The order was received: "Wake up anyone sleeping in the area—an attack is imminent, and eliminate anyone you see moving toward you." The fire of bullets spewed from the muzzles of the guns, shattering the night's silence until all the magazines were empty. Finally, that horrific night passed, and in the morning, an elite unit arrived under the command of Major Saleh Khalil Ebrahim, the intelligence officer and deputy commander of the unit, and First Lieutenant Ghazi Kazem Yadam, the political guidance officer and support company commander. The bodies and wounded were evacuated from the area. The commander of the ambush team was unconscious but unharmed. The unit continued their search and encountered more mangled bodies in another location. On a hill not far from them stood a teenager throwing hand grenades. With a smile on his face, he pointed his finger at them and said, "Come on..." They moved a little closer. The young man was wounded and losing a lot of blood. When he sensed that there were two officers among our forces, he threw his last grenade toward them. They fled like gazelles. Since he had no strength left in his body due to severe bleeding, he could not throw any further to intercept their last grenade. The grenade exploded near him...

When they sensed no movement from him, bullets were fired at him from all sides. Then, the Ba'athists moved closer and found him unconscious. The bullets were shot at him, draining him of his last remaining strength. Then, they poured some soil over him, but his speckled clothes and the band around his head, which had "Ya Hossain" written on it, were not hidden beneath the soil.

When they returned for the funeral of the slain, they found a white tape in the minefield, one end of which was towards the Iranian forces and the other end towards our trench, and around it, footprints were observed coming and going. The patrol team picked up the tape and erased the footprints.

To be continued …