Northern Iraq Kurdistan War (2)

A comprehensive report on the military organisation and political aims of the Kurds who for the past eight years have been fighting to establish an independent state in Northern Iraq. This first inside view of life in the liberated area includes film of the Kurdish stronghold and supply centre (bomb damage and wreckage of an Iraqi MiG fighter), independent law court in night session, mortar attack on Iraqi garrison at Roanduz, Iraqi Hunter attack on bridge, translated interviews with the Kurdish chief General Barzani and Iraqi POWs, forward hospital, administrative and military HQ's, ammunition factory, Radio Free Kurdistan broadcasts (which are jammed by Baghdad) and the production of the Kurdistan News on an ancient German printing press. 25,000 strong guerrilla army is equipped with a wide variety of arms and ammunition and apparently has had little difficulty in pinning down the Iraqi Army, although aerial attacks using bombs and napalm against 270 villages have destroyed crops and many civilians. A temporary lull in the fighting accompanies the talks now being held between Barzani and the Iraqi authorities.

There is footage of 3 peshmurgas armed with Czech machine guns (which they have never used before), who fail to inflict damage on a Hunter plane which appears to score a direct hit on the bridge. After attacking the bridge for 3 days in a row, however, the Iraqi jets fail to destroy it. The highway which the bridge carries over the Tuwanduz also remains open to Kurdish use. This time the Iraqi plane escaped unscathed, but the Kurds claim to have brought down planes with small arms fire. There is then footage of Kurds recovering evidence of anti-aircraft hits, including the wreckage of an Ilushin 28. Leading the Kurdish warriors in their fight is a man who spent twelve years in Russia after the war, but without becoming a Communist. His name is General Mulla Mustafa, 63 years old, father of eight sons. Until the peace talks, there was a price on his head of £300,000. General Barzani is a key battle strategist, and he has taken the leading part in negotiations with the Baghdad government. In an interview, he says that his army could vanquish any Iraqi government with the necessary arms, and says that they will attack the (British controlled) oil installations if Britain doesn't help them in their struggle. From the Iraqi point-of-view, as expressed in Iraqi recruiting posters, ther Kurds are a minority group committing treason against a legally constituted government. They describe the Kurds as a threat to national unity. There is then footage of Dr. Abdul Hamkit working in a cramped surgery to help wounded troops. Barzeni says that over 12,000 Kurds have been killed in the war - 10,000 of them civilians. The Kurds claim that over 270 villages have suffered air attacks. Drugs and medical supplies are scarce, and most arrive thourgh Red Cross or Communist sources since the roads north were cut. Life in the villages is shown to go on as it has for centuries. Most Kurds are small farmers, whose only contact with the twentieth century are the Iraqi jets. Since the war began, farming has been disrupted and crops ruined by napalm bombs. Food supplies are short, and their tobacco exports have been cut off - now the factories are on the wrong side of the front line. In a valley well hidden from the patrolling planes lies the underground nerve centre of the Kurdish High Command, and the radio link with the battle areas. The report shows an engineer working in this communications centre. The report then looks at the high command, which handles 'the paper war'. There are 15 members, and they include Father Paul Baidan, a 76 year old Catholic priest working alongside Muslims in the interests of the small Christian community. Others include high-ranking army officers, engineers, and the secreatry of the Kurdish Democratic Party. They act as a makeshift cabinet, under Barzani's leadership, and handle all matters of administration, supply and military strategy. They order, train and quip the peshmergas. At the high command's camp, a group of about forty Iraqi prisoners of war have been put to work. The Kurds claim to have taken about 800 prisoners in all, but have had no choice but to send many of them back to the Iraqis, as they can't afford the guards or the food to keep them. Those who do stay are allowed to broadcast messages to their families on Radio Free Kurdistan. Three prisoners are asked about this, including one Kurd who went over to the Iraqi side. They think it unlikely that their families will have heard theur messages. The report then shows the work of the Kurdish "ordinance corps". They collect unexploded shells left over from Iraqi attacks, saw them up, and save the TNT inside to be used again against the Iraqis. The report shows a remarkable 'arms factory' within a cave. Work carried out here includes buidling of grenades and mines out of scrap materials.

Date: 13/07/1966

Category:

News & Politics

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[abdujabar]

its good to die for kurdistan im serious

[sagsar1]

im kurdishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[recruitmentch]

this video was shot well over 50 years ago. But one important thing it should teach us kurds is never to give up because we have achieved so much thanks to these brave souls. today we have an autonomous and free state and a government that has a say in iraqi politics as well. there are cases of corruption and there is a long long way to go. But I would like to take thing moment to salute these brave men who did so much for what we have today. Long live kurdistan and its people!!!

[rasheed1660]

the iraqi kurds and iraqi arabs cluster the closest to the assyrians=arameans by dna the dominant halotype of the muslim kurds is eu9 means j2 which is semitic it is these zaydis who make trouble why would u want to make a country within a country how shameful SalaH adden ayyubi was a sunni kurd he was iraqi

[rasheed1660]

there is no kurdistan listen my forefathers were iraqi kurds and sunni muslims and we have arabian heritage i do not like this ! mosul is in iraq are u kidding me

the kurds are iraqi as they have lived in iraq

[TawTaw08]

Long live Kurdistan // from Sweden

[HawreKoyi1]

We will never vanish we will back again .... Its just matter of time.

[KurdistanDuhokCity]

Kurdistan for ever! Biji Kurd û Kurdistan!



[jeramo40]

I fuck us kurden