270Th Night of Reminiscence

Events of Kurdistan and operations in Arvand River narrated by fighters of the two divisions

Sara Rashadi Zadeh
Treanslated by Fazel Shirzad

2016-8-13

According to Iranian Oral history Site, two hundred and seventieth ceremony of series Night of Reminiscence was held at Sureh hall of Art Center on Thursday evening in  7 Mordad 1395  (28^th July 2016). Mohammad Reza Jafari, one of fighters of Syed al-shohada’s Army 10 and Abdolreza Tarazi, one of the radio operators for Army 27 of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) attended in the ceremony, and expressed their memoires about the war of Iraqi imposed war against Iran and the sacred defense.

 Jafari, who had participated in operation Valfajr 8 and Karbala 5, expressed his memoires of those days as a first narrator and said: "passed one year of funeral of martyred divers in Art Center, they are kept alive in our hearts yet. As you seen in movies and films left by those days, many of Iranian solders were young; despite age and small physical appearance, they were able to cross over Arvand River and penetrate in enemy area." 

  Jafari mentioned fighters’ ages in those days in continuing his speech, and said:" fighters’ ages, in operations between years 1363 to 1365 (1984-1986), were about 19 to 20 years old and it can be seen obviously on the gravestone of martyrs. In the Year 1365, it was the hardest year of Iraqi imposed war against Iran and much numbers of martyrs are belonged in that year as well. In other words, I always attended, as one of the army forces, in 10 operations during one Year. It is also mentioned in the books and documents of the war and I remember that it was written that:" someone who was not attended in the war in the year 1365, in fact he was not attended in the Sacred Defense." Several operations were done in the year such as Operation Karbala 1 to Karbala 5.  

He added to retell the memoirs: "Late in 1364, we did heavy duty operations that Operations Valfajr 8 can be noted. This operation was conducted in two watery - terrestrial area called Umm Ar-rasas and in an island at same name in 9 km long."

We passed through water repeatedly with investigative forces 

Referring to the preparation stage of forces before each operation, Jafari said:" Iranian forces pass not only through Arvand River during watery direction operation, but also they crossed repeatedly over Arvand and Dez Rivers, Azadi Lake, diving school districts of Bushehr and Bandar-e Anzali.  In those days, I participated in destructive unit and it was responsible for crossing over water repeatedly in operation Karbala 4, Karbala 5, Valfajr 8, and coming back to do investigative operation. In these operations, we checked required time to cross over water in tides."

Referring to the responsibilities of the destructive unit, Jafari added:" in other side of the river and in front of enemy positions, there were some Sun shaped bars that made by Farsi cut bars in 22 to 26 mm, and we forced to remove them, that were very keen in tip, from road of our forces to go easily into channel and continue the operations. In one of operation, we were going to remove 16 lines of barbed wire and 1 line of sun shaped bar from direction of our forces until diving forces would be able to pass through channel to shot first line of enemy, and then common fighters would be able to ride on boat. The common fighters were equipped by some orange Lifeguards vests that we called them quilted jackets, but at that time and they were known jokingly as quilt mattress."

Dive training in the winter

He said for making further remarks; "We must train the forces after each identification, for example explosion on the surface of water and conditions to encounter it, injured by sun shape bars in head,  faced to explosive traps and neutralize them and as well as landmines. We started to train in the month of Azar (December) and winter. In this situation, water of South region was only one where it was perfect for training of forces in term of temperature. However, due to issues of intelligence and security, some forces were scattered in various parts of country to train in water, and some ones were scattered in Tehran and Bushier and other ones in Bandar-e Anzali."

He added:" in that situation, we were with diving forces but we couldn’t wear special shoes of diving (fins), we forced to wear shoes of ship to do operation in the channel.  We tied the shoelace together many times, but shoelaces were usually opened after arriving on another side of river, so it caused that we were repeatedly falling down. This events can be seen in movies remained of those days.

We reached to a another beach and passage

Referring to operation Umm Ar-rasas in details, he said:" in operation Umm Ar-rasas, we were responsible to carry out explosives substances to explode barriers such as sun shaped bars after arriving on another side of river.  We twisted bullets c4 around our chest to keep from water in terms of gravity. We entered into water in diving groups with 5 and 7 people in order, and put some sacks on our body to keep camouflage from moonlight reflection on water. When we went forward in the water, we faced to two unpredicted problem.  First, lint of sacks caused to itch our face strongly, second, we could not see our own forces when we were under water and sacks were wet. We were in front of enemy without any camouflage, and was could be seen by scout of enemy forces."

He added:" That night I was wearing a winter diving suits for my small figure, and we encountered problems for wavy water conditions. But person in front of me was wearing a thin diving suit that was known snaky skin suit, and I encounter with difficult situation so that I repeatedly hit his under shoulders to be keep from being drown.

Referring to a given situation, Jafri said: "We were crying because we afraid to being drown and while rain was stopping we felt the ground under our feet.  It chanced else that frogs around the reeds of coast began to crock, and although we were in 30 meters far from Iraqi forces, our sound was lost in the sounds of frogs. In mentioned situation and due to wavy river, we had arrived at bank of river and another passage in depth of about 380 meters instead of 300 meters. After arriving there, commander said:" fit your ammunition into barriers" it was to fit ammunition when first line of enemy would be broken down and friends were fighting, because we had to move in parallel to the line of the enemy. In such situation, camouflage was useless, and each one can be clearly seen. After heard this news, we thought that our forces were fighting in the first line, so we got ready and started to prepare the matchlocks. Suddenly we heard the sound of spanner of guns from Iraqis forces. We just realized that enemy's line was not broken down. That is why we continued the plan quickly, and we went to Hajj Sadeq who was our commander for saying him the news of equipped channel. He told us: "the operation have not begun yet, I am waiting for a command to start operation by saying "Allahu Akbar".  

Referring to continue of the operation Valfajr 8, he added:" Our forces cut 16 rings of barbed wire to do the destruction operations have. In addition, when one of friend who was cutting a barbed wire on wall, that was known wall barbed wire, faced with an enemy's forces. He said:" on the one hand, if I came back to channel, he will find our forces and fire them.  On the other hand, I cannot fight against him and make noises, so I stood and just look him. He also look me for a few moments and quietly went away from me."

Signal to forces in other side of the water

Jafari added: " command of operations was issued with three long Takbir, and our forces went to behind of enemy's stronghold, and as soon as we heard the sound of Takbir, we began to get ready to fire. After a few moments, the explosion was done and I repeatedly kept it in my mind that as if all sun shape bars were entering into our body. When I went out of water, I saw sun shaped bars have been exploded and spread over area. Then we started to cut the barbed wire by wet hands and without gloves, and pulled them into water to be able make a dock in length of 50 meter. Because boats would be arrived there after half-hour."

In continuing his speech, He mentioned adventures of playing music from the Iranian forces’ speakers and said: "At the same time, we should signal to other side of river and boats move from other side of river. A music and song by Doctor Hessamoddin Siraj called as "Moussa is at the forefront and Neil River is in middle" was played from speakers. The purpose of turning on the loudspeakers by Iranian forces was that Iraqi forces would not be able to hear the sound of boats across the river, because each boat could carry only 12 people, and we needed 80 boats to make a lot of noises across Arvand River. At the same time, the tide of water began to rise at the river and suddenly we realized that we did not consider wetted clothes of warriors when they were getting off and reducing combat ability. Our forces stand inevitably around warriors and they rode on the shoulders of forces with their guns and equipment. They rode on the shoulders and then got off on the bank of river.  The large number of warriors caused to damage the shoulders of divers. By the way, this story came to end."

Education in battle fronts

Jafari was quoted in continuing his speech about memory of diving training period, and said:" During the Iraqi imposed war against Iran and diving training time, our forces constantly bought sesame and dates from Dezful for us to make power our body. One upon a day, we bought a little starch and gave it one of comrades to cook porridge for us. After training, when we went for prayer then went inside the tent to eat porridge, we saw comrades pick kettle from fire, and one of them said:" Prepare your glasses and do not forget blessings!" After eating three cups of porridge, porridge was cold inside the kettle and pipe of kettle was blocked and so we even couldn't make a tea."

In the last part of his speech, he referred to the story of education in the battle fronts and said:" in those days, I was educating in the Second Degree of Mathematical Physics. If we field in one of tests, our forms, that have given us, would be invalidated. That is why, we should study in battle fronts, and then take a test in Dezful or Do Kuheh.  The exam season began during diving training, but officials insist that preparation before the operation should not be compromised, they refused permission for going to the city and participate in the exam. One upon a day, our commander named Haj Abdullah came to our unit to oversee, I insisted and wanted him to obtain permission for participating in exams, and finally we were allowed to attend in exam."

Difficult conditions for attending in Kurdistan

Abdolreza Tarazi, one of warriors for army 27 of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was another guest of Night of Reminiscence that said about his memories of the battle front:" One of the first nights at the battle fronts, we were sitting in a trench that one of comrades named Abbas Noori told me: " clean the glass of this lantern to turn it on at night." When I was cleaning the lantern, he said me: "give me it. You, townsmen, cannot do such as works. We, villagers, are growing with such as works."  When we spoke together a little, we realized that both of us are from Khomein, and he knew my father. That is why he always protected me everywhere."

In continuing his speech, he referred to the story of presence in Kurdistan and said:" In 1361, we were sent to Kurdistan. in those days, the condition of Kurdistan was in way that if Basij group captured by the forces of Kumeleh , they would be beheaded. We first went to Kermanshah and later were equipped in Saqez. We were equipped by G3 guns and told us that forces of Kumeleh and Democratic only equipped by AK-47 gun, and we should consider the direction of shooting when it is fired. We moved from Saqez to Baneh with strict security measures such as equipped with machine gun(DShK) and some motorcycle equipped with RPG in front and behind of Basij forces’ cars. That's why we were commanded to go in the city without talking and joking with each other and very serious as an elite and veteran. In addition, we must move as a group for each vacation and presence with full military equipment.

Referring and explaining the condition of that time of Kurdistan, Tarazi added:" Bane has only a gas station that was almost burned every week. After attending in Baneh army station, we were divided and each group went to one of the stations around the area of Sardasht, Baneh. I was also got on a car with strict security measures and moved toward a village named Kukhan near the town of Baneh. The mosque of village was our accommodation. There was a pool in the mosque built by stone. I was naked and jumped into the pool as soon as I arrived there. Shortly after, some local elders with native language stood near the pool and it seemed they protest me. I came into masque and put on my clothes without say anything anyone and went. After few minutes, our commander gathered us and began to question, and I just found that the pool was a place for ablution of villagers."

Guard in Pich e-Chahar (road turn 4)

Referring to mission in Kurdistan, Tarazi added: "Mission of all Basij stations in Kurdistan was providing security for the road from 8 am to 4 pm, because the road, in this time, was in control of Democrats Kumeleh. After 10 days, one night, patrolman who was responsible for security, asked me about my post and he found by my answer that I guard in a region alone called Pich e-Chahar. The area was so dangerous that at least two people always have to guard there.

  Once, I was on the post alone, I was bored intensity. I thought myself: "How can I exit bullets from gun G3?" I opened my gun and I started to put bullets into the barrel of gun in reverse by bayonet. But I could not remove the bullet from barrel of gun.  I was tired and lying under the oak nearby, I thought myself:" can shoot the oaks?" so I took the gun and shot, suddenly the gun was burst and its head was broken. I was afraid, and I close the gun with my keffiyeh. When I returned to station, I said to official of the station: "I do not know what is happened for gun! Tomorrow morning I gave the gun back to the barn and I changed insistently my gun and returned to station."

270^th session of Night of Reminiscence series under the efforts of the Center for Cultural Research and Studies, and Resistance Literature and office of Literature and Art of Resistance was held at Sureh hall of Art Center on Thursday evening in 28^th August 2016.