Biography & Memoirs of Abdollah Maleki

“Kuhsalan Battle” & Kurdistan

Ava Majd
Translated by Natalie Haghverdian

2016-12-18

All of those who defended the borders of Iran during the Holy Defense have memories that are subject to oblivion during time. Due to this very fact, recording their memories has become a necessity in recent years. “Kuhsalan Battle” has been compiled in light of this objective which includes the biography and reviews the memories of Commander in Chief Abdollah Maleki.

Commander in Chief Abdollah has been the commander of Sarv Abad Army, commander of Chenareh front and Commander in Chief of Marivan brigade during the Saddam imposed war against Iran. In 1995 he was in charge of Sanandaj brigade and in 1997 was deputy coordinator of the resistant mobilized forces in Kurdistan. In 2013 he was the manager of Conservation & Publication of the Values of the Holy Defense in Mazandaran province.

A Good Start

Every book constitutes of various sections including an introduction, the back cover notes, or a start which can be interesting to attract the audience. “Kuhsalan Battle” has a very good and moving start: “My mom is right, not my ID. I was born five days before the end of 1960. However, my ID says that I was born on the fifth day of 1961. I was the first child in my family and the first grandchild of “Haji Kuchak”. I was born in “Mazar Vostagh” village and spent my childhood in the green rice fields.” (p. 9)

This good start intrigues the audience to read the book through despite the fact that the pages to follow are not equally interesting. But the audience is encouraged to read the book through because of its good start especially when the narrator talks about his personal life: “Once I finished fourth grade, as recommended by Haji Baba I left the village to pursue my education in the city. It was a strange feeling. I had not been out of the village before. Travelling miles away from my family was tough.” (p. 26)

Kurdistan Special Situation

“Kuhsalan Battle” is a biography and memoire; the memories that are both personal and form the image of a special era of the contemporary history of Iran. Onset of the imposed war and the spirit of the people is one of them. The narrator was in his youth at the time and describes his feelings and activities: “Like many others I was zealous and studying was not an option. I immediately joined the mobilize forces and after finishing the training they gave us M1. I was involved in mobilized forces’ cruises and guards when we would visits the sea shores to prevent fish trafficking and sometimes we would distribute oil, food items and subsidized goods among people ….” (p. 45)

“Kuhsalan Battle” specifically describes the war in Kurdistan. The cold and the memories it left behind especially blindness caused by it and soldiers waiting to receive their ratio of oil are some of the dominant factors in this province: “I saw a big rock falling from the mountain which blocked the road from Bastam to Chenareh. It wasn’t only that since we didn’t know how to deploy food and oil to others in their bases. Our connection with Akejeh, Qamchian and Kani Tamarkhan was interrupted and soldiers in Kani Tamarkhan were waiting for their ratios.” (P. 171)

Conflict with counterrevolutionary groups and the conflict among these groups were other issues specific to Kurdistan at the beginning of the Islamic Revolution which is addressed in the book: “One of these conflicts occurred in the periphery of “Bisaran” and “Tangesar” villages. We received the news of this conflict in Sarv Abad. I joined the task force with required equipment and went to Paygolan and to observe the conflict closer we climbed to the mountains of “Kor Maryam” which was our summer base….” (p. 265)

General to personal memories

Commander in Chief Abdollah Maleki is an eye witness of the chemical attack to Halabja which he has described in “Kuhsalan Battle”: “On the route I could see people standing calmly and watching the white cloud arising from the blast of chemical bombs. There was also the old lady sitting and milking a cow with no attention to all the quivers exploding around her….” (p. 307)

Considering that the book is also a biography, naturally it contains information on the personal life of the narrator. Family status, being away from his family and his wife accompanying him are other stories in the book: “She fought the last two years of war alongside me and was happy with the humble life that I could provide as a soldier. She was fearless like me and despite her courage she was very kind. She would visit the families of martyrs in Sarv Abad and other villages …” (pp. 303 -304)

In fact, the book describes Maleki’s personal life, war operations and special situation dominant during war in Kurdistan province.

Operations

The Annexes of “Kuhsalan Battle” are very interesting for those who are eager to learn more about war operations. Valfajr 10 operation is described in the book which was organized by Sepah infantry forces accompanied by Quds, Fat’h and Samen-ul-aemeh resistance bases with a capacity of 10 divisions and 9 brigades and 103 battalions in Soleymanieh plains in Iraq supported by the air force of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Jihad. The Annexes cover topics including maneuver design, operation field characteristics, operation description, and phase two to five of the operation and Beyt-ul-moqadas 4 operation which in fact completed Valfajr 10 operation.

The fact that one full section in the book is dedicated to one operation is a distinctive feature. The operation is referred to in other pages (including pp. 304-305). Valfajr 8 operation (p. 213) which resulted in capture of Fav port in Iraq by Iranian forces and Beyt-ul-moqadas operation (p. 55) which resulted in liberation of Khorramshahr are others as recited in the book.

Pictures

Like many other memoirs, “Kuhsalan Battle” also includes a pictures section. This section covers pages 339 to 395 where pictures of the narrator’s family and fellow combatants are printed. His draft letter, high school diploma to be submitted to the army, a letter in his father’s handwriting, his wife’s first letter twenty one days after the birth of their first child and sample identification cards issued in the war are some of the documents provided in this section.

The book is rich in pictures and documents but lacks predication which is the key section of every book. Importance of this section is recognized in recent years; however it was ignored in this book.

No Content List is also available which facilitates access to various sections by the audience; in this book the audience has to go through pages to find the content they are searching for. Resolving such shortcomings in future will turn “Kuhsalan Battle” to a more comprehensive book.