The 290th Session of Memory Night Memories of Resistance
Maryam Rajabi
Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi
2018-05-09
According to Iranian Oral History Website, the 290th session of memory night of Holy Defense was held in Sooreh Hall of Hozeh Honari on Thursday, April 26, 2018. In this program, Mahmoud Kaman, Ms. Jomai Ahmad Karofi and Seyyed Saleh Mousavi expressed their memories of Iraqi imposed war against Iran and Islamic Resistance Movement of Nigeria.
Story of Mr. Halalzadeh!
Amir Mahmoud Kaman was the first narrator of the program. "I was in military college with Ali Sayyad Shirazi, he had entered the college one year before me; after graduating from the officer college, his corps was artillery and my corps was telecommunications. When the revolution won, at the height of conflicts in Kurdistan, I was transferred to the 28th Division of Kurdistan. At that time, Sayyad was commander of Operational Headquarters of the west. At the headquarters, Kurdistan's 28th Division, 24th Division of Urmia, Independent Brigade of Mahabad, and a group of Basij and IRGC, were tasked to guard security of operational region of Kurdistan. We had a lot of problems in Kurdistan, when we were in the south during the war, we knew that the enemy was in one side, but in Kurdistan, the enemy was in our four sides, especially in late 1358 SH (early 1980) and early 1359 (1980), when Komala, Democrat party, People's Fedai Guerrillas (Minority and Majority groups) and Monafeghin (hypocrites) were active and each had bases and personnel, and the city was under their control, and it was awful that if we went from the division to the city, they asked me, who was a military officer, why I was in the city, and they wanted me a leave sheet. They wanted a leave sheet; that is, Komala and the Democrat wanted me leave sheet!
When we were transferred to Kurdistan's 28th Division, we deplaned at the airport, and it was supposed a battalion came and joined the division. We waited 48 hours at the airport and the gentlemen did not allow to go inside the division. They said that if you want to go, you have to get around the city, because in the main street which was connected to the army, they had welded beams that, for passing through, our unit would have to pass through spiral through those beams, and it was interesting that among those beams, girls and boys at primary school had been stationed there and were teaching, and thus they had occupied the street so that we could not go to the army. It took three days to reach 20-minute path from airport to the division. We eventually had to go round the city to get to the division. The city was under their control in this way, they did everything they liked, and they went at night, and received their own costs from the shops, and if someone did not pay money, they would get even with him/her at night! Kurdistan region was insecure in this way.
Commander of western operation, Shahid Sayyad Shirazi, had ordered that the 28th Division of Kurdistan must come from the army to inside the city and did parade and return to the garrison. He said that we do not tell you day of the parade; from 12 to 22 Bahman (February), which was Fajr decade, we should be ready every day for the parade. There was a central street that we come from doorway of the army and circled in Engelab Square and we went back from a parallel street to the headquarters. I was commander of the battalion. We would take equipment every day, prepare our companies and dressed the division in the central street to enter the city. We were ready at 10 a.m. and at 11 o'clock they told us that there is no parade today. On the other hand, [Abolhasan] Bani-Sadr (current president) in Tehran had objected to our parade and ordered that you aren't allow to do so, on the other hand, from headquarters of NEZAJA and the Army had ordered that you have to parade. Finally, on February 7, 1983, we entered the city with full equipment. Friday Prayer Imam of Sanandaj, Governor and Mr. Mahdavi Kani also took part. The parade was carried out and we returned from another path and nothing happened. As we entered the city in the evening, we saw they had written name of all company and battalion commanders and that these are anti-people officers! Bad incident also occurred after the parade in Sanandaj's Division. One of betrayers of Monafeghin had built a handy bomb and installed it in the operation room; the bomb was for a special day where a meeting was scheduled to take place, and all high-level officials of the division, governorship and Gendarmerie were to take part; Fortunately, that meeting was canceled, and, with exception of two three martyrs and demolition of part of the building, they did not get anything more, and eventually he escaped from the city. He served in my battalion, and his name was also "Halalzadeh"!"
Trip of Shiraz
Amir Kaman continued: "After the incident that happened in NEZAJA on April 1982 or 1983 when some people came to the corps and killed 10 to 13 persons, and then fled, I was summoned from Sanandaj to Tehran for command post of Ground Force Headquarters. I was summoned. In those years I was close to martyr Sayyad Shirazi and worked with him. I served there for one year so that he said I changed your job. I asked what should I do? He said you should come to the south headquarter, but today is March 13, go and relax for a few days, then come. I came home and we were ready to go to Mashhad, when our home phone was rung. My wife said that he is Mr. Col. Sayyad Shirazi, I picked up the phone and he asked me where do you want to go? I said Mashhad, he said it does not need to go to Mashhad, go to Shiraz; my family has been at home for five years, I have reserved for you somewhere. He said, "I have a request from you, take my car and go with it." He had a 1979 buff Paykan with Isfahan number plate. Martyr Sayyad said that I have gotten ticket for your kids and my children to go by plane; you took the car a day ago and go. My lady was not satisfied that I would go one thousand Km to Shiraz lonely. We moved a day ago and arrived at the airport on time. I heard that airport speaker constantly call my name. I looked into campus and looked at a lovely dear who was commander of Shiraz armored center. He did not know me, but I knew him. When I entered the airport parking, I saw that in a very luxury Benz and a novel Paykan, two driver soldiers constantly called us to go to guesthouse with them. I did not pay attention and the children got off the plane. Martyr Sayyad's wife was with her sister and two children and my family that we all mounted Paykan. We were coming out that the colonel knocked the glass and said that you aren't easy in the car, so I prepared a car for you. I said let me explain for you at the guesthouse. They insisted, and Ms. Sayyad Shirazi said that Mr. Col., let us explain to you at the guesthouse. In summary, we stayed in a guesthouse for two or three days. Martyr Sayyad came there to visit his family, as soon as he kissed me, he whispered me you didn't ride those cars with a military plate, did you? I said no, during these days we used Paykan, he said, "Let me kiss you for not mounting my children in a military plate machine."
You should not wake the soldier!
Mahmud Kaman said, "We had difficulty in some operations and they hold training at 12 p.m. We were in the 55th Airborne Division of Shiraz. We did our work and it was around 1:30 to 2 a.m. that we wanted to go back. Sayyad said let's go to the command. We had two commands; one in Belghazeh 30 km far from Fakkeh, and the other one in Dezful and behind us. I went to Belghazeh and he said why do you come here? I was always with him. I sat in the front and he sat in back seat. He said let's go to Dezful. When we arrived in Dezful, he told is it possible to make some water warm in order to take shower? I quickly woke up soldier of the command and he pumped. Because there, water was pumped from Dez River to air source, it came to heater and water became warm. He took shower and thanked me and asked how did I do this? I said I woke up soldier of pump, as soon as I said this, he became very flushed. I told it is our duty to be with you, so why am I awake now? He said you are a different matter, why did you wake up the soldier? I prayed two Rakats and you neutralized it. I did not say anything and went out sadly. Next morning he called me and told me let's go to command of the 21st Division. I went late, he sent his guard to tell me to go to eat breakfast. I said I had eaten breakfast, he said: "Come eat your breakfast, don't be baby!" You got upset last night. You should not wake up the soldier, you should tell me that we cannot, we don't have hot water, the up source is empty, and I would not be upset. I said: I feel duty and I was tasked to do your job.
I was stunned by his perseverance and resistance. At night, he slept only about two hours to two hours and half. He connected his night and morning prayers, and was ready and had eaten breakfast at 7 a.m. In all works and matters, he first prays two Rakats. The grades on his shoulders were temporary, he was a major, and I was also a major. In his payslip he was commander of operation and the force, but he received salary of a major. This was a temporary grade, because rank of a large number of high-ranking military officers of which are old and elder such as Ms. Monfared Niyaki, Mofid, and Eqbal Mohammadzadeh were colonels. For that he could control on his corps, he had been given temporary degrees as commander, but he took salary of a major until steps had been taken and his grade sheet was issued in appointed time."
Amir Mahmoud Kaman explained about one of his photos with Shahid Sayyad Shirazi: "This photo is for 1983, that child sitting in his arm is Mehdi whom Sayyad died a martyr in front of him; his right side is his daughter miss Maryam who is now a psychologist. His wife was sitting on the left. My child and I are on the corner of the photo. My wife is next to martyr Sayyad's wife."
Attention to subordinates
He also stated, "At a night martyr Sayyad called me to dine together. As soon as I reached his trench, the soldier called me and said someone is on the phone. I went and picked up the phone and it was my wife. I found out she couldn't speak, I asked: what is it? She told my wisdom tooth aches, I went at the top of alley to extract it, but the doctor cut my teeth into four pieces and extracted it, I feel very bad, both children have fever. I said: I'm 1000 km away from you, I can't do anything, and you just disturbed me. My wife was self-respecting as much as that, despite being my brother in downstairs, her brother and sister were in around alleys, but she said I don't like to disturb anyone at this time of night. I hung up and returned to the trench. Sayyad looked at me and said, "What is it?" I said, "There is nothing," he said, "You were in another mood when you went now you are different." He was a good physiognomist. I said the case, and he contacted Tehran's ground forces and said that they would go by car to our house address and take my children to the hospital, return and report to him. He paid attention to his personnel and commanders. I recall I had a soldier who had about thirty years old and was of reservists, and there wasn't even a tooth in his mouth. One day I was alone with him and said that this soldier does not have teeth, he asked: How much does he want? I said: I have a dental practitioner who has done his work, Sayyad said: do his work, money is available. We went to Friday Prayer Imams of various cities, and everyone respected his; they would accept expenses of the army, without accounting and without a document."
People managed the war
Amir Mahmoud Kaman continued, "In one of the operations, we had an officer named Shahid Massoud Monfared Niyaki. Now, whenever you go from Seyyed Khandan Bridge to Resalat Square, look at your right, his picture is on the wall. His eighteen-year-old girl died simultaneously with one of the operations. I was in the command that Sayyad wrote a letter and ordered me to go to station of the 92nd division and control so that Niyaki would devolve mission of the 92nd Division to his deputy, and I would accompany him to the helicopter so that he went to Tehran by plane and he arrived at burial of his daughter I obeyed and went to the 92th Division in Darkhoveyn. As deputy officer of the army was from my own coursemate, I first always met him, and then I went to commander of the army to obey his commands. When I entered from embankment of the command and arrived at trench of my colleague, I heard that field phone was rung and they said it is colonel Niyaki. I sit there no longer, I went to his trench and saw as if his daughter hadn't died; he was sitting firmly in his desk and all agents of the division were doing their works, because we were in engaging an operation. He asked me: why did you come here? I said: I have come to offer you orders of the commander. I gave the letter, he read it. He did not say anything and I saw he was writing something. He wrote and folded the letter and put it in an envelope and gave it to me. I said: dear colonel! Devolving the mission? Shifting responsibility? I'm ready to accompany you to the helicopter; he said no sir! People who are around me do not say anything, what do say those who are in other units, 1st brigade, 2nd brigade, 3rd brigade, and the soldier in area and near to the enemy's bulwark? They say commander of the army went on leave during the operation? They do not know what the story was. I said I told you command of commander of the force, he told, "Go, I answered the commander in the letter. I obeyed and saluted and came out of the trench. I came to my friend's trench and told summary of the letter. He and I cried together. He wrote: "in the name of God, thanks to mercies of respectful commander of the corps. In this sensitive situation, I will never leave my mission anyway; my family will hold burial and ceremonies of the third and seventh days, your inferior Massoud Manfred Niyaki." These people are not existed today. My fellow and you managed the war.
In a year, Imam Khomeini stated we don't have Eid, our Eid is fronts, officials, including Parliament members and general managers poured into the fronts and brought also gifts with themselves. We had a cook who was very hardworking. We usually changed logistic personnel of the command every two or three months. I told him it is enough; you have been here for four months, he said, "As long as you are here, I remain too." It was really hard to cook in heat of Ahvaz from morning to night. We gave gifts that the officials had brought to the soldiers, officers and our inferiors and those who worked with us; we also gave one to Ebrahim. I was passing that I saw Ebrahim sitting on the stairs and was crying, I asked: what is it? He opened that gift and showed it. I saw it was a small prayer rug which had been written on it with red yarn Allahu Akbar, a small handful of leblebi and raisins; there was also written on a piece of paper: "Mother! I brought this from Mashhad, I did not have anything else to give you." These mothers managed the war. Except for the same time, my phone was never rung, and on the other side of the line, my wife or Sayyad's wife to be querulous. Once there was a problem and the line had been closed, and we could not go to operational leave. My lady had cried, and martyr Sayyad's wife had stated that we should sacrifice. Really, people managed the war. I remember soil of the area that we were serving was polluted. Loader worked and was making trench. During digging main trench, soldiers came before me and said that a corpse was found. I went and saw that he was my comrade Mr. Tavakoli. His clothes had remained intact, but in uniform there was a handful of bone. They brought food from Dezful, and when we wanted to distribute them, wind blew and poured the contaminated soil in food, and the next morning, everyone was sick. We went somewhere and said give us some flixweed, he gave us two kilos! I said jokingly do we give this to personnel granular? He said: We have no more to give you. A Hajj Agha came from Mashhad with seventy to eighty cars full of tools, gave us his keys and went. I called Shemiran Jihad in Tehran. My aunt's daughter was responsible for affairs of ladies; I told her I want flixweed and vaccine of snakebite; she said, call me at 6 p.m. I had asked 200 to 300 kilos of flixweed. I contacted him at 6 o'clock and he told is it enough two tons of flixweed?! Soldiers are now waiting; when we want to give them 48 hours of leave, give more two days, but in those days, I had a soldier who had 12 days operational off, we understood that he had returned after six days. We asked him, why do you come back? He said: "I did not have anything to do there! My business is here."
Sheikh Zakzaki and Islamic Movement of Resistance of Nigeria
Sheikh Ibrahim Yaqoub Zakzaki has revived Shiite in Nigeria with his gallantries. His children died a martyr and his own life is in danger too. Sheikh has done many measures and many people have been converted to Islam and Shi'a religion by him. The second narrator of the program was friend of Sheikh's wife. Ms. Jomai Ahmed Karoufi is a Nigerian Shiite militant whose three children have been lost and two of her adopted children, who were in fact her nieces, died a martyr. She is author of several books, works as a director and documentary maker, is a teacher and has a master's degree in communication and library. She said, "I came here today to talk about tragedy of Zaria and what happened to my sisters and brothers in Islamic Movement of Resistance of Nigeria. My leader, Sheikh Zakzaki, is today known throughout the world, he is the one who has revolted against oppression in my country. His reputation is because of his great influence on people of my country and of Africa in field of Islam. Because of his activities, in various occasions, the great man has accessed several flags of shrine of Imams (AS) such as flags of shrines of Imam Reza (PBUH), Imam Hussein (AS) and Hazrat Abolfazl (PBUH). We have different rituals for Ahl al-Bayt (AS) in our own movement in Nigeria, whether Mawlid or mourning for Ahl al-Bayt (AS). Among all of our ceremonies, flag of Imam Hussein's shrine and Imam Hussein's ceremonies are of great importance to us; for example, one of our commemorations is that in the first day of Muharram, we raise flag of shrine of Imam Hussein (PBUH) in Hosseinieh of Baqiyatallah (AJ) and, like all Shiites, we mourn all Muharram and Safar, and especially Arbaeen for this Imam. Walking ceremony of Arbaeen begins in various places in Nigeria and people come to city of Zaria for pilgrimage flag of shrine of Imam Hussein (AS). This move is not unique to Nigeria and people from different countries of Africa do this. Government of Nigeria has become sensitive to the fact because pilgrims who come to Zaria for Arbaeen walking are more than 25 million people and this is a major threat to the world of infidelity including United States and Israel, as well as Saudi Arabia. So they gathered many times to think what plan could be used to kill Sheikh. Many attempts have been made to kill him, but providentially it wasn't done.
When our current president, Muhammadu Buhari became president had a visit to Saudi Arabia, and when he returned, from the first day of Rabi'al-awwal, when mourning of Muharram and Safar had been ended and Zaria Shi'a had gathered in Hosseinieh Baqiyatallah (AJ) to raise flag of happiness and Mawlid of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) above the hosseinieh, attacked Shiites who had gathered there. When Buhari Army forces came to Hosseinieh to carry out their own evil plans, Shiites and people who had gathered in Hosseinieh were decorating there and carrying out their plans for the ceremony. They immediately landed their cars and armed their guns and shot the audience. I was not at that time in Hosseinieh and they informed me what was going on in Hosseinieh. The first moments when forces of Nigerian army realized the move and began the attack, the ceremony had not been yet started, and Shiites were preparing, so attendees were not many. As soon as the attack news was broadcast, all Shiites in the city tried to come there, and a population more than 10,000 gathered there. More people wanted to be there, but because military equipment had closed many paths, people could not arrive. Closing the roads led many people, like me, to go to Sheikh's house to see what happened there. Many also went to centers that belonged to Islamic Movement of Resistance of Nigeria; many people had abled to be in Sheikh's home. People who had gathered around Sheikh's house were perhaps around five thousand people.
In addition to the attack at Hosseinieh of Baqiyatallah, approximately 9 to 10 p.m., many of Nigerian military had besieged house of Sheikh and lots of people of Resistance Movement of Nigeria opted sacrifice for their leader and have a human shield around his house so that the military couldn't approach their leader. Meanwhile, many young people and members of the movement did a martyr, because they had taken each other hands and their bodies prevented the army from approaching house of Sheikh. Our weapons were Allah Akbar, Takbir and Ya Mahdi (AJ), many of our children tried to protect Sheikh by throwing stones. From that time at night to next afternoon they were killing people. All my family and relatives, including my sister, had tried to protect Sheikh's life. We could not do anything all night because they were shooting and we were collecting martyrs and wounded. About 11 p.m., one of sisters told me to look at walls of Sheikh's house; more than 22 holes had been created on walls of Sheikh's house, which showed that a variety of weapons had been used to kill him. One told me to go inside and talk with Sheikh's wife and persuade her to exit Sheikh from this situation, as if his martyrdom was approaching. When we entered Sheikh's house, we did not see his wife and only saw Sheikh bairns. We explained for one of descendants of Sheikh, and he replied that my father had said I would not leave here because government and the army are shooting my Shiites and I am also here with them. At that time, we had more than 700 martyrs and wounded people on the ground and around Sheikh's house.
When I did my speech and came out of Sheikh's house, I saw two girls, about 6 to 8 years old, had lain on the ground. I took my life in my hands to save the two girls. Although soldiers were shooting, I crossed the street and approached them. I raised one to pull, but she was very heavy. I told her to try to save yourself; she said I cannot, because I had been shot. Both had been shot and they could not do anything for themselves. I was alone at that time. I looked around someone help to pick the kids up. At that moment I saw my children. When they found out I need help, they come to me. My children were students in Zaria, and when they found out what happened to the movement and Sheikh, had come there to protect Sheikh. I talked to them, but due to sound of shooting and humming around was loud, they could not hear my voice. I pointed them to come to me. One of the guys could come to me to pick the girl up who was older. We tried to bring her to a house around us. When we were trying to approach her to a house, one of soldiers came to the other girl who had lain and put his gun upon forehead of that six-year-old girl and shot. When I took the girl to a house and returned, I faced this scene; I sit at a corner and just cried due to I could not do anything for her. Effort of all the soldiers around was to come to Sheikh's house and kill him. Because all the soldiers had watched Sheikh's house, so few soldiers paid attention to us and we could take one of those girls to that house. When I understood that a few soldiers became aware of our presence and wanted to shoot, I told the guys to lie. They shot us. Bullets hit the wall behind us and glanced off towards us. One of the boys came to me to help me and they shot him. I fainted at the moment and after that I my five children were died in this tragedy. These five children are missing. When I revived, I realized they had shot Sheikh and expelled him from his house and burnt his house, and many troubles that Sheikhs had done and mosques, hosseiniehs and Tekyeh that he had made were burned down. The day after capturing sheikh, they seized his wife and many activists of the Nigerian movement and from that day every demonstration and protest against Sheikh's captivity and attempting to release him, Shiites have been confronted with fire and sword. This happened last week, and today they also informed me that a large number of my compatriots died a martyr in a demonstration. Today, they also attacked demonstration in Abuja and made a fire and sword, a march which was for our sick leader. We thank God today king of Saudi Arabia himself spoke and confessed that this was our request from government of Buhari to end activities of Sheikh, influence of Islamic Revolution of Iran and growth of Shiites in Nigeria! They asked my leader that if we release you, you must stop fighting so that we can get rid of Shiites' influence in the world. They, like Yazid I and Ibn Ziyad, try to eliminate Shi'a; Inshallah, this will not happen. We today announce that we are ready to sacrifice everything we have in way of victory of the resistance, and we are happy for this and we sacrifice everything we have to protect Sheikh and Islam."
Courage of a 13 year teenager
Ms. Jomai Ahmad Karoufi, in response to the program presenter who asked about temperature of memory night of last year in presence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said: "At that ceremony, they showed a film that was related to an Indian correspondent interview with that 13 years teenager (Mehdi Tahanian) who was captured by Iraqi people. It was interesting that he had been also invited to the ceremony to tell memory. There, the Indian correspondent asked him, "You are not an adult, why did you go to war?" The reporter said Saddam Hussein, who is humanitarian, wants to give you to your government, but Imam Khomeini (PBUH) says that these are not our children! In response, he courageously said Imam Khomeini is my leader and whatever he says, we will do the same. It really made me wonder and impressive. During capture of Mr. Tahanian, commander of the camp decides to hit him with a wooden wand as he to be afflicted to spinal cord injury; Mr. Tahanian shouted Ya Mahdi and a miracle happens, and that wand to be broken from the middle and the commander just looks him. When I realized this, I recall my injury for a moment, because I now have more than 22 quivers in my body, and from the very moment I returned from hospital, I do not feel much pain in area of the quivers. These two events proved me that if you are in God's way and God protect you, you would be safe even from a pain which is natural. When I was in hospital and they wanted to extract quivers, I saw their pot was full of blood and I found out there that I had been struck. I understood that story of my life and Mr. Tahanian shows that if you really work for God, how God will deal. I am very happy that I could talk to you today."
Translator of Ms. Jomai Ahmed Karoufi said, "A bullet is near her heart and one near her waist. If they extract a bullet which is near her heart, her health would be in danger, and if a bullet which is near her waist to be extracted, she may be infected spinal cord injury. She has about seven to eight large quivers in her body, but he says, however, that whatever they hurt people like me and kill more us, we will become more resistant."
To this extent he had forgot himself ...
The third narrator was Seyyed Saleh Mousavi. He told, "In 1981, in Operation Tariq al-Qods, we had to go to northwest of Susangerd. Our mission place was in a village called Magasis. That night, firstly, they shot our battalion commander along with his portable transceiver officer, but when the operation code was told, we started it with God's will. We circulated one axis and came out behind them, and our guys killed 750 corps of the enemy until morning. It was a very successful operation and our unit was recognized as one of the most successful units. We were sealed, but for defense, due to the attack that Iraqis did upon Pole-Sabeleh, if they clipped between Bostan and Susangerd, that Fath ol-Mobin couldn't be acquired soon. They sent us there. Sardar Mohammad Nourani was responsible for the axis and after three days they shot him. Martyr Reza Mousavi called me and entrusted me the axis. Our forces were present in operational area for more than two months. Some of the guys became tired and it was likely that the enemy to make another attack in that place. At that time, there was not many corps. One day we were told that we should go to tactical headquarters of commanding. It was a bit far from the front. I went with one of the guys who were protester on behalf of other protesting guys to headquarter. We saw there were only martyr Sayyad Shirazi and Sardar Mohsen Rezaee. I introduced myself and my friend. They begged us not to leave that axis. I said that I and a number of friends are in the axis, you convinced the brother. They spent half an hour to satisfy him. It was not as they dictate him and issue a military order. This move made my friend to relent and he stayed in the axis. We wanted to come back when I suddenly saw one of these two people took my hand and kissed. I looked and saw he was martyr Sayyad Shirazi. Allahu Akbar for greatness of this man who had forgot himself as much as and was just for God; otherwise, he did not qualify managing the army."
Resistance Experience in Khorramshahr
Mousavi said, "In 1980, really, forces of Saddam's army had come to put their dirty boots on our neck. Many countries seriously hurt our country. Our country was an important geographically, politically and economic position and they tried to capture all our valuable values, including religious beliefs, culture, honor, and land. Adolescents and young people stood against invasion. I was 18 years old when I saw Ahmad Shush, the great man of resistance presented his head. I gave his body to be taken by car. I was 18 years old when Iraqis crossed with a tank upon head of one of resistance commanders of Khorramshahr named Ali Hashemi. I witnessed martyrdom of Seyyed Ebrahim Allameh, Reza Karimpour, Mohsen Shamshiri and Jamshid Panahi. These were my peer and perhaps younger than me. I was 18 when I saw moving without head of Parvizali Arab; his brain was sprayed on my face by a direct bullet of a tank. There, a quiver hit my head too. I witnessed martyrdom of Behnam Mohammadi with 13 years, who, if he had not been behind me and those quivers hadn't struck his heart and face, those quivers would be my quota. In those years, I witnessed martyrdom of Sheikh Sharif, a Sheikh who has been and will be a symbol of a Shia cleric for me. They sprayed Sheikh's head in Chehel Metri Street and his skull was detached. They twisted his turban around his neck and pull his body and shouted: "We killed a Khomeini!" I witnessed courage of young and teenagers Khorramshahr girls who symbol of their greatness in martyrs were Shahnaz Mohammadi and Shahnaz Hajishah. Ordered by martyr Mohammad Jahanara we took them out of town.
The city was destroyed and families were wandering. We did not have any news from our families. The city was collapsed and we were injured. I had five injuries. As we wore boots all the day and when we wanted to take them off, boots lappet was peeled away with our foot meat. Beauty of Khorramshahr resistance was that anyone was in the resistance, either a popular force or an armed force, because the first commander of armed forces of Islamic Republic, Abolhasan Bani-Sadr, betrayed us. His betrayal led to resistance of13-year-old Behnam, his betrayal led to separation of the army and IRGC for several years, betrayal of Bani-Sadr caused the city couldn't resist, and the last person of the resistance to be martyr Amir Rafiei, who there is no trace of him. The city was collapsed and Jahanara called us and said: "Do you want to go to Paradise Saleh?" It was about two weeks after the fall of the city, and Iraqis had not still settled. I laughed and said: Where? What do you mean? He said: call the guys and Reza Dashti. I brought the guys. Jahanara said: Your mission is to go and identify situation of Iraqis in the city. Our distance was a river with more than 300 meters of wavy and cold water. We should find a blind spot. What we hadn't done before and hadn't been also trained about it. We did not have any facilities. We should sink and go to opposite side. We did not have infrared camera, effective transceiver portable and even a flashlight. We did not have food and ammunition. Reza Dashti, since he was from South, had taken a board, pierced its four sides and put tube. This was our raft. We had to close rope, and closing rope was itself a trouble. We should take rope and sit on water and take it to the other side and connect it. The only one who could close rope was Naji Sharizadeh because he had a strong shoulder. He stayed on water to his stomach and swam. We were three groups that went to the first detection. Reza Dashti was a top student of nuclear energy. He started this move and we were along with him. We had taken gasoline lighter in order to use it when we arrived and they become informed that we arrived. When I struck it, I saw it lighted much. When we came back, we had put Reza on the raft. I talked to him and asked what about the detection? He said Naji Sharizadeh had all information. Reza's blood bled through my fingers on Shatt al-Arab and purified it. We had many martyrs until Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas which was created that greatness. We experienced resistance with blood, and nothing was effective like God backing and then greatness of our people."
The 290th session of Sacred Defense Memory Night was held by the Center for Studies and Research on Resistance Culture and Literature and the Office of Literature and Art of Resistance in Sooreh Hall of Hozeh Honari on Thursday, April 26, 2018. The next session will be held on May 24.
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