A Khuzestani POW Narrative of Returning Days to Iran

Restating goodbye of the operation nights at the moment of freedom ‎

Maryam Asadi Jafary
Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2016-8-29

Note: The sweet taste of liberty from camps of the Iraqi Baath Party and ‎freedom painful and unforgettable tortures will never be forgotten for ‎freedmen of eight years of the sacred defense. That's because and despite ‎decades after those days, the minds will retain events and memories of those ‎days. On the occasion of the anniversary of the returning freedmen to the ‎homeland, a section of memories of disabled veteran freedman, Asqar ‎Baimaninezhad have reviewed the days leading up to the release and return ‎to Iran.‎

Please introduce yourself and tell us in which line did you dispatch to the ‎front and captured?‎
I'm Asqar Baimaninezhad, Freedman and disabled veteran of 70 percent ‎that in 1983, while I was 14-year-old and I, along with brigade 15 of Imam ‎Hassan from Khuzestan, dispatched of Haftkel, Khuzestan, participated in ‎Kheibar operation and strait of Chazabeh. Because of striking quiver at my ‎skull and several other areas I became unconscious and I was taken Iraq as ‎captive. I was about 20 days in hospital Al-Rasheed of Baghdad. After that, ‎they took us to a camp Mosul 2 where prisoners of operation Khyber were ‎there. I was there until the end of captivity. My body situation was not well. ‎Because of striking quiver at skull, part of my brain was out of skin and ‎was apparent. For this reason, the left side of my body was completely ‎paralyzed and my co-prisoners in captivity got into trouble and helped me ‎in my works. I was more than two years in captivity.‎

When did you become informed of possibility of freedom and the return ‎to Iran? Do you remember the day and its date?‎
Indeed, now thirty years have passed since then. It was 1986 but I do not ‎remember its month. I think it was summer and August. In any case, when ‎we heard the news related to release of me and some of guys, we were very ‎happy. Because we had no idea of freedom given the situation that we ‎ourselves had in the camp, we did not think that maybe one day be freed. ‎Because of torture and bothers that could see of Such as the enemy, we ‎knew that he was not in mind of liberating! We thought that might all the ‎fighters would be martyred here and be finished. But the grace of God, we ‎came to Iran to continue to serve the community.‎
 
What was the reason of Iraqis to release you?‎
We were told that is, a group of 29 individuals of Iranian prisoners ‎wounded were in the exchange of 120 Iraqis wounded. When it was, some ‎friends and I, as disabled prisoners, were freed earlier. A week before they ‎interrogated us permanently and we were highly treated and investigating by ‎Red Cross and Iraqi doctors.‎

What was Baathists questions about in interrogations?‎
In interrogations they wanted to see if we really are injured or are ‎malingering. But my appearance was completely clear. But they were so ‎strict that we could no longer believe that we will be free. Several times we ‎were taken to the door of the camp and returned. Then they would state you ‎will not be free today. They wanted to bother us mentally. This was ‎repeated for several days.‎

But finally, despite intense bothers of freedman Baathists, you were ‎released. What did you think at nights before your release? You were ‎thinking about your family or friends and captives that would stay in the ‎camp?‎
Believe me that I thought more for my friends who I was separated them. I ‎was 14 years old and did not have much worldly concerns. I venture it, ‎because a while that I was before friends, because of severe injuries that I ‎had, they got into trouble for us. These guys while they were really in a hard ‎situation, they have struggled for us and now are unknown. People like me ‎who had severe injuries, need to take care. Night and day we were treated. If ‎people are in prison because of a special case, when they would be informed ‎news of their freedom, perhaps, be happy and feel very happy to be ‎returning home. But when it comes to belief and homeland defense, really ‎because of the separation from friends who we were in the camp next to ‎them, it was very difficult.‎

Speak about the moment of leaving the camp. How was making friends’ ‎farewell?‎
On the last day in which we make our friends farewell, whatever we had, ‎like a worry bead that were made of palm kernel, gave them as a memorial ‎and we wanted them to forgive us. It was like the mood of farewell night of ‎the operation. It was very difficult to us to leave our friends. Our heart was ‎heavy in the chest. We were separated from our friends a day before the ‎release, and quarantined in other barracks at Camp Ramadi. Then they took ‎us by bus to the Baghdad airport. Of 29 people, almost 8 or 9 were of our ‎camp.‎

When you got on the bus, did you felt freedom definitely?‎
We would not think that going back. Despite being told it is scheduled to be ‎freed and the Red Cross had given names, our bodies were still in captivity ‎fever. They took us to the Baghdad airport and were taken through air to ‎Turkey. We hadn't a special attachment to this side [the family]. We were ‎more concerned about captive guys. After more than two years in captivity, ‎finally we were exchanged with a number of wounded Iraqis.‎

Did you stop in Turkey?‎
I remember they brought us by a Red Cross plane - If I'm not mistaken –to ‎Ankara airport, and Sepah guys had come from Tehran and we were ‎welcomed. Iran's ambassador in Turkey spoke and we were transferred to ‎Iran. Interestingly when we had got on the plane we saw a fighter plane ‎appeared alongside our plane. All of us feared that it is Iraqi aircraft and it ‎is the last moment to shoot up a rocket and there would be no coming back. ‎Apparently fighter pilot contacted our pilot and said that we are Iranian ‎pilots and came to protect "freed captives," At that time, it was used to say ‎‎"freed captives", did not say freedman. The fighter aircraft come near ‎windows and began to shaking hands. They twisted two times and distanced ‎us, but they came with us to border of Iran.‎

Talk about the entry time into Iranian territory. Who did welcome you?‎
When the plane landed at Mehrabad airport, good old days, martyr ‎Ayatollah Mahalati, Sepah guys and Red Crescent welcomed us. The ‎Islamic Republic march was played and martyr Mahalati speech, and ‎eventually we were taken to the hospital. We were quarantined a few days ‎for treatment and healthy issues, and then, gradually everyone's family came ‎and returned to their cities. We who were from Khuzestan stayed a few ‎days. Due to my physical situation I stayed a week-10 days. Some of my ‎acquaintances contacted me in the hospital and inquired me and my feelings ‎about returning to Iran. I told them I do not feel anything because I thought ‎more about my friends who were in homesickness and torture. For they've ‎been captured those who had no commitment to human rights. After that we ‎returned Ahvaz, friends and fellow citizens welcomed me marvelously in ‎Ahvaz airport. Ahvaz distance away Haftkel 80 KM. Perhaps, at 25 km ‎distance away our city entrance to the city itself there were cars and the ‎crowd. After that we went to the heaven (cemetery) Masoumeh. A ‎gravestone that was made for us show us. That is I saw my own tombstone. ‎Population was so unique, photographs are also available. When I review ‎photos and see people who were later martyred either have died and some ‎has gotten older, I'm proud that God gave us such glory by captivity that so ‎much respect us and welcome us.‎

If they had made tombstone for you did that they believe you had ‎martyred in operation Khyber? How was reaction of your parents in the ‎first meeting after the release?‎
I had a special attachment to my mother. He had never believed that I ‎martyred. Whatever my friends said that I had martyred in operation, ‎she would not accept and waiting my coming back. They even wanted ‎to hold anniversary of the martyrdom for me that my letter in ‎captivity reached him. Even I have kept condolences banners and ‎announcements as a memento. When we returned, my parent ‎happiness was indescribable. They were very happy, like many ‎mothers whose children were released from captivity. Because our ‎area is from Baḵhtiari tribe, people had their own special joy. They ‎were shooting upward and cheering. When I was captured, I was in ‎grade 9. When I came back they told me we diploma you, but I ‎refused and I went to school with a cane. I studied and now I ‎Graduated MA and serving veterans community‌.‌