Operation Karbala-1
Fatemeh Nowrozi
109 بازدید
In 1986, the Najaf Base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, carried out Operation Karbala-1 in the western heights of the country, the Middle Front and Mehran. This operation aimed at liberating those areas.
After the completion of Operation Fajr-8 and the capture of Faw by Iranian forces, the Iraqi army attacked many areas of western Iran using a mobile defense strategy.[1] Iraq's attack from the north and east of Sulaymaniyah began on February 25, 1986, and ended with the occupation of Mehran on May 17, 1986.[2]
After the occupation of Mehran, IRGC's Najaf Base entered the region to prevent further Iraqi encroachment on Iranian soil. The intelligence forces of the operation also identified the entire enemy defense lines that needed to be destroyed in order to recapture the city of Mehran and the Qalavizan Heights.[3]
Iraqi lines on the axis of the Ilam-Mehran Road and the agricultural garden to the north of the region had a lot of strength and fortifications. The middle axis, between the Gavi River and the Dehlran-Mehran Road, was weaker than the north, while the southern axis, the Qalavizan Heights, was even weaker and had less fortifications than the other two axes.[4]
In designing the operation, three solutions were considered: the first solution was to pass through the southern hills and capture Qalavizan, which would provide a favorable view and shooting position for the Iranian forces. The second solution was the hills of Gholami and the agricultural garden, which would avoid conflict in the heights of Qalavizan. The third solution was to combine the two. The Najaf Base considered the third solution more appropriate. However, due to various reasons, including the lack of facilities and power, the first solution was finally chosen.[5] According to this plan, the main axis of the operation was placed in the south, that is, the Qalavizan Heights and its ridges up to the Gavi River.[6]
The Najaf Base formed the combat force by employing six divisions, five brigades, an independent armored battalion of the IRGC, and the 4th Armored Brigade of the 21st Hamza Army Division.
The Air Force and the 44th Artillery Group of the Army, the 62nd Artillery Group of the IRGC, the equipment battalion of the Najaf Base, the 45th Engineer Brigades of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the 43rd Imam Ali Division and units from the Islamic Jihad supported this operation. The Iraqi combat force in the region included 42 infantry battalions and 6 armored battalions.[7]
Due to holding the heights of the region, Iraq had a complete view of Iran's positions. Iranian forces, using artillery and fire, pretended to carry out a strike on the axis of the agricultural garden and Gholami Hills. This surprised the enemy.
The operation was designed in three stages. The first stage was to secure the Qalavizan Hills up to Seyed Hasan Village. The second stage included the Hamrin Mountains and the Mig Grove and its surroundings. The third stage extended from Farrokhabad Village to Peaks 223.[8]
Operation Karbala-1 started on June 30, 1986, at 23:30 with the codename “Ya Aba Fazl al-Abbas Aderkani”. The day before the start of the operation, two battalions from the division of Ali bin Abi Talib moved to bypass the heights of Qalavizan and were deployed behind enemy positions on the morning of June 30. Due to the rapid advance of the Iranian forces, the stages of the operation were increased to five stages.[9]
In the first stage, due to the surprise of the enemy forces, the Iranian forces advanced at a high speed. By the evening of the first day, with the conquest of the eastern part of Qalavizan, areas such as the slopes of Hamreen Mountains, Abzayadi Road, several hills, and Seyed Hasan Village were liberated. Also, the 1st Iraqi Commando Brigade, which had arrived in the area on the same day, was destroyed.
In the second stage, the forces of the 21st Imam Reza Brigade were able to besiege the city of Mehran and liberate it around noon on the second day of the operation. In the same way, the liberation of other important areas, including Farrukhabad, Qalakohene, Rostamabad Outpost and the Qalavizan Groves and Hills, provided the preparations for the third stage.[10]
In the third stage, the intended targets, i.e. Firozabad Village and Qalavizan Heights, were liberated in a continuous line.[11]
The fourth stage started with the Iraqi line in the Qalavizan Heights being defeated on Friday, July 3. Later, the 10th Sayyid al-Shuhadah Division captured parts of the ridge of Peak 210.[12] At this stage of the operation, Seyyed Mohammad Reza Dastwara, the deputy commander of the 27th Mohammad Rasulullah Division, was martyred.[13]
The fifth stage started on the morning of July 5 by the 10th Sayyid al-Shuhadah Division and the 27th Mohammad Rasulullah Division. Its aim was to capture the main 223 Peak and its ridges. Finally, the tactical camp of the 17th Armored Division and the tactical camp of the 24th Mechanized Brigade of the 10th Division of the enemy were destroyed and a group of its personnel, including the brigade commander, were captured.[14]
After ten days, Operation Karbala-1 ended with a complete victory on July 9, 1986. In this battle, all the goals were achieved, and more than 175 square kilometers of Iranian soil, including the important heights of Qalavizan and Hamrin, two border checkpoints, the important Ilam-Mehran-Dahlran Road, the city of Mehran and its villages were freed. Also, Iranian forces were able to dominate the Iraqi cities of Zarbatiya and Badra. In this operation, heavy losses and damages were inflicted on Iraq,[15] including ten thousand dead and wounded soldiers and 1210 captives, the destruction of 110 tanks, personnel carriers and vehicles, and the capture of 69 tanks and personnel carriers, 8 engineering units, 61 pieces of equipment, and 64 cars.[16] In this operation, 1089 members of the Iranian forces were martyred and 4275 injured.[17]
The liberation of Mehran was due the failure of Iraq in its mobile defense strategy. The reflection of this failure in the mass media of the world was very far-reaching. So, they considered it a sign of Iraq's defeat and emphasized its psychological effect.[18]
[1] Operation Karbala 1, Tehran: IRGC War Studies and Research Center, 2005, p. 17
[2] Haji Vardikhan, M., Iran-Iraq War Chronicle, Book 42, Volume 1: Continuity of Iraq's Mobile Defense Strategy, Occupation of Mehran, Tehran: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Holy Defense Documents and Research Center, 2017, p. 443
[3]Operation Karbala 1, pp. 22 and 23.
[4] Razzaqzadeh, A., Guide Atlas 3: Ilam in War, Tehran: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Holy Defense Documentation and Research Center, 2000.
[5] Shokri, S.H., Noni Sefr, Tehran: Office of Resistance Literature and Art, 1990.
[6] Drodian, M., A Review of the Iran-Iraq War, Volume 2: Khorramshahr to Faw, Tehran: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Holy Defense Records, and Research Center, 2010, p. 254.
[7] Operation Karbala 1, p. 27.
[8] Kihan-Panah, A.H., Guide Atlas 10, p.86
[9] Ibid, p. 98.
[10] Ibid, pp. 102-104.
[11] Drodian, M., A Review of the Iran-Iraq war, vol.2, p.259
[12] Operation Karbala 1, p. 36.
[13] Kihan-Panah, A.H., Guide Atlas 10, p. 108.
[14] Drodian, M., A Review of Iran-Iraq war, vol.2, p.261.
[15] Kihan-Panah, A.H., Guide Atlas 10, p. 112.
[16] Operation Karbala 1, p. 38.
[17]Kihan-Panah, A.H., Guide Atlas 10, p. 112
[18]Drodian, M., A Review of Iran-Iraq war, vol.2, p.268-263.
