The 351st Night of Memory-3

Compiled by: Leila Rostami
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad

2024-5-30

Note: The 351st Night of Memory was held on 4th October 26 of 2023 in Sooreh Hall of the Art Centre of the Islamic Revolution. The narrators of the night, Brigadier General Ali Asghar Keshavarz, Nasser Sharifian and Mr. Navidi recounted their memoirs about martyr Abbas Rostami who was a wrestler and the person in charge of the camp of Iraqi captives. Also, the book "My brother is still present" authored by Miss Mansoureh Qanadian was unveiled. The book deals with the memoirs of the life of martyr Abbas Rostami. The show was hosted by Davood Salehi.

■■■

The third narrator of Night of Memory was a proud veteran, Mr. Navidi, born in August 1963. At the beginning of his speech, he said: My acquaintance and relationship with martyr Rostami did not last more than two months. The communication was very weak and I did not talk to him much. The Jundullah Bukan Battalion was responsible for clearing the direct counter-revolution conflicts. At that time, General Hadifar was the commander of Kurdistan. They are still busy in Kurdistan. His deputy was martyr Hossein Eskandari. I was also in charge of al-Qara'a Company. In those conditions of Kurdistan, it would take some time for an ordinary soldier to reach the rank of company commander; But Martyr Abbas Rostami from the very beginning, due to his being an athlete or because of his relationship with Martyr Hossein Eskandari - who was also an athlete - soon became the commander of Al-Mahdi Company.

About the martyrdom of Abbas Rostami, something happened that is one of the prominent memories and I will never forget it. It doesn't fit at all with today's math and math. We were operating in Sarabad region, between Marivan and Sanandaj. It was a triangular area. I do not remember the name of the village. That village was the headquarters of the Democrats and some hypocrites. From the beginning of the night when we walked on that mountain until after the Morning Prayer, we marched until we reached the top of our goal. The battalions of Jundullah Takab and Saindej also had several goals with us. The main goal for our battalion was; the counter-revolutionary front never directly engaged with the regular forces. Whenever they realized that the Jundullah's forces were moving regularly, most of them would empty their headquarters and run away. In this case, they could later engage in ambushes and guerrilla conflicts.

Martyr Rostami was the commander of Al-Mahdi Company, which was placed on the heights as security. Our company and Baath's company went into action in that village when we saw that the village was almost empty. A remote village whose people were very deprived. That village was geographically a difficult place where the building materials of their houses were stone and rubble. That means there was no clay even there. Its road was narrow; but the counter-revolution had built a base for itself. He even created military beds and electric motors for himself.

We were there until around noon. The children were very tired. From the evening of the previous day until the morning of the next day, they had been walking in the mountains continuously, and there was no one left. It was around noon when the sound of shooting and fighting started. On both sides of our left and right axes, where the Takab and Saindez battalions had acted, there was very intense shooting. They were ordered to retreat. They also ordered us to retreat. I don't know why, because helicopters and artillery were supposed to come and support us. I think maybe his area was too far and the artillery could not focus and support!

In short, the forces of Saindez and Takab all gathered and left. They also carried their wounded on their hips. I don't remember if they were martyred or not. They told us over the wireless: You should retreat slowly. We came out of the village, but the heights remained in the hands of the Al-Mahdi group. They had to provide for us to leave the village. At that time, they informed us that some of the forces were shot and wounded. Martyr Eskandari, who was the replacement of the battalion at that time, told me: "I am going to take the troops out of Tirras." You and Abbas Jafari and other comrades, collect the troops and the wounded and whatever is available. And in short, be the last person out of the village." We did this too.

They said that two people were martyred at the height. Abbas Rostami and martyr Barati were the ones I brought down from the height. We almost took them out of range. I reached over their heads and put my hands on them. The weather was hot. I could not distinguish whether they were martyred or not! I quickly put my hand on his nose and saw that he was really martyred. I said: "Sir!”We cannot carry the dead body with us, we only carry these wounded back." In short, we gathered the last forces, but the counter-revolution slowly settled on the heights.

There was a very green valley. It was spring and the air was very fragrant. There were several well-built and strong horses and mules there. We used to take horses and mules with smugglers. The load of animals was transported by a van. Seven or eight horses and mules were coming in a column, with some men on foot. On the first two or three, there were some women and children wearing floral and Kurdish clothes, whose type was different from the people in the village. It was as if they were coming from a wedding. In those shootings, they came very easily. A young man was coming from the front, wearing black Kurdish clothes and a long beard. A very beautiful face, like the forces of our Hezbollah. I said, "stop." where are you going?" He said: "I am going to our village." I said: "Can't you see it's shooting?!" He said: "We know the way." I said, “I want those your horses. I have some wounds and I have to take some tools and equipment. “Unload yours as much as you can." He did not resist much and said just let these women and our children go. I will unload the horses and mules and help you."

They separated some men, some women and children who were riding and walking on these horses and left. About five or six horses and mules remained, which were loaded with hay for their fodder and livestock. The young man emptied them himself and said: "What should I do now?" I remember he called me by my name twice. I said that the comrades called me, he heard that too. I said: "We want you to load these wounded, weapons and things left on the ground on your animals and come with us." He said: "you bet." He was very skilled. He binds injured children on horses. He even tied these weapons skillfully with a rope under the animals. Sometimes I stole my head because of the sound of the arrows passing over my head. He told me, "Don't worry! You're out of range. I know this place."

It was getting dark when we started walking. Hossein Eskandari was walking forward, and we were in contact with him by wireless. The young man said: "Sir! I want to come to your feet, some of your wounded are bleeding more. I'm moving forward. I've seen your hospital in Sarovabad." A clinic was equipped as a field hospital for that operation. I never thought of sending anyone with him. Some of the wounded were not in a bad condition. Only two or three people were shot in the stomach. He went with horses, mules, wounded, weapons, ammunition and wireless. The way back was a little downhill and it caused us to reach Sarovabad area early around Morning Prayer.

I went to the clinic on the way. Our weapons and wireless were strewn on the floor in front of the door. Several of our children were lying on the bed dressed, one was awake when I asked him, "What's up?" He said: "We came very easily. It did not take two or three hours at all. It was like we were on a bus. Two of the children were taken to the city and the rest were bandaged. We are resting." Below, there was a place for the battalions to rest. The children of Takab and Saindej were tired and fed themselves. The comrades were passed out from exhaustion. They had walked the mountain road for 48 hours without rest. I was awake and asleep when I heard that they brought two martyrs and said to come and identify them. We said that maybe they are the martyrs of Takab and Saindej. Our martyrs who stayed there. In short, we got up to go when we saw that these are the martyrs of Bukani! Two martyrs were wrapped in Kurdish sacks with ropes. Martyr Rostami was one of them. I did not know that one martyr properly. I said: "Who brought these?" They said: "That gentleman who is going up brought the martyrs with two mules." I found a camera and saw that it was the same young man from yesterday. Now, whoever it was and whatever it was, in my opinion, it was a supernatural aid. He brought our weapons and ammunition, and comforted us from the very beginning. I never said to go and bring our martyrs. We never dreamed of going back that way!