Operation Imam Ali (as), also known as Operation Allah Akbar, was carried out on September 22, 1980, with the participation of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Dr. Mostafa Chamran’ s Irregular Warfare Headquarters, in Khuzestan (north of the Karkheh River, between Susangerd and Bostan). The operation resulted in the liberation of the Allah Akbar Hills.

The eastern and western branches of the Karkheh River in Khuzestan, which flow from Hamidiyeh toward Susangerd and Bostan, divide the area into two distinct sections: north and south of the river. A series of sandy hills lies north of the river that starts north of Hamidiyeh and extends to the Mishdagh Heights north of Bostan, reaching close to the Iran– Iraq border. Over time, these sandy hills became compact and firm, forming a continuous ridgeline along the northern side of the Karkheh River. The ridgeline ends in the Allah Akbar Hills, which sit north of the river between Susangerd and Bostan.⁠[1]

In the late Qajar period, during clashes between the tribes of the southern region and the British Army, the tribes performed prayers on these hills. Because the call to prayer (adhan) was recited there, the hills became known as Allah Akbar.⁠[2]

With the outbreak of the Iran– Iraq War, these hills were regarded as a sensitive geographical feature and drew the attention of the enemy’ s army. The 35‌^th Brigade of the Iraqi Army’ s 9th Armored Division, after occupying the border outposts of Soubaleh and Chazabeh and remaining for two days around Bostan, advanced toward the Allah Akbar Hills and occupied them on September 26, 1980. Although on October 2, a combat battalion from the 3rd Brigade of the 92nd Armored Division (Iranian Army) succeeded in liberating part of the Allah Akbar Hills, the enemy recaptured the area on October 11.⁠[3]

In May 1981, Iranian military commanders identified the Allah Akbar region as a suitable place for launching an operation.⁠[4] The objective was to secure Susangerd, which had been one of the strategic targets of the Iraqi army since the beginning of the war. The enemy had launched several attacks to capture the city, but Iranian forces had repelled them each time.⁠[5]

According to the operational plan of the 3rd Brigade of the 92nd Armored Division based in Ahvaz (Army), which was mainly responsible for the operation, two combat groups were to move along the right flank (north), cross the sandy hills, capture the Shahitiyeh Hill located northwest of the Allah Akbar Hills, and then attack these heights. Before the units of this brigade reached the enemy positions, the forces of the Irregular Warfare Headquarters were also to approach the enemy’ s positions from north and south and engage the enemy’ s forward units.⁠[6]

South of the Karkheh River, the reinforced 55th Infantry Brigade of the Army, together with forces of the IRGC, was to launch an attack and seize the enemy’ s forward defensive embankments. Meanwhile, the 1st Brigade of the 16th Armored Division from Qazvin was to follow and support the 55th Brigade. The attack was scheduled to begin at 4:00 AM on May 21, 1981. Beginning at 3:30 AM, the preparatory artillery bombardment was to last 30 minutes.⁠[7]

The operation was commanded by Colonel of Armor Staff Yaqoub Hussaini, the operational deputy of the Iranian Army Ground Forces Command in the southern sector. The Army Ground Forces’ Forward Headquarters in the south was stationed in Dezful; however, to direct the operation, the command group of the forward headquarters moved to Ahvaz and deployed alongside the tactical headquarters of the 92nd Armored Division (Army) to the hills northwest of Hamidiyeh.⁠[8]

When the operation started, eight artillery battalions equipped with 100 guns of 130-, 155-, 175-, and 203-mm caliber opened fire on enemy positions.⁠[9] By 4:00 AM, Iranian forces had moved close to the enemy trenches and had begun engaging enemy tanks and armored personnel carriers with RPG‑7 launchers.⁠[10]

At first light, the units of the 3rd Brigade of the 92nd Armored Division moved toward their objectives. Early on, the forces on both the northern and southern axes moved forward quickly. However, Iranian forces on the northern axis— the main effort— ran into a minefield and had to stop. The enemy managed to disable six tanks and thirteen armored personnel carriers using anti-tank missiles. Ultimately, the 3rd Armored Brigade could not bypass the minefield and failed to seize its objective, Shahitiyeh Hill. Nevertheless, the brigade’ s left flank (the southern axis) succeeded in capturing the Allah Akbar Hills by 8:00 AM, that is, within four hours. Casualties of the 3rd Brigade on the southern axis were minimal, with only two tanks damaged.⁠[11]

On the southern front of the Karkheh River, where the 16th Armored Division from Qazvin was attacking, the 55th Infantry Brigade and IRGC units struck the enemy’ s rear embankments at the same time as the assault north of the river began. In the early phase, the enemy’ s third embankment fell, and their remaining troops surrendered with little resistance. With the fall of the third embankment, the troops holding the first and second embankments— now threatened from the rear— also surrendered.⁠[12] As a result, the 16th Division reached its objective before 8:00 AM. The operation was conducted south of the Karkheh much more easily, and the attacking units encountered no major obstacles. By 10:00 AM, Iranian forces had secured their positions, taken key areas, and were preparing to repel possible counterattacks.⁠[13]

As a result of the operation, 100 square kilometers of territory north of Susangerd— including the Allah Akbar Hills— were liberated. Enemy casualties amounted to 500 killed and 700 captured. In addition, 100 Iraqi tanks and armored personnel carriers were destroyed, while two T-62 tanks and ten BMP-1 armored personnel carriers were captured.⁠[14]

On the day of the attack, President Abolhassan Banisadr, Brigadier General Valiollah Fallahi (Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff), and Colonel Javad Fakouri (Minister of Defense) visited the operational area. During this visit, they realized that the Iraqis were preparing for a counterattack, based on their troop movements. Enemy armored units advanced from Bostan toward the Allah Akbar Hills, but Iranian artillery and tank fire forced them to stop roughly four kilometers from the Iranian lines.⁠[15]

The next step was to clear Shahitiyeh Hill, which overlooked Iranian positions from west to east and gave the enemy a strong observation and firing position. The issue was discussed on May 21, 1981, in the Supreme Military Command Council, where it was decided that the hill would be captured by infantry forces composed of units from the Irregular Warfare Headquarters and the 145th Mechanized Battalion of the 3rd Armored Brigade of the 92nd Armored Division (Army), supported by artillery fire and helicopters. Colonel Masoud Monfared Niaki, commander of the 92nd Armored Division of Ahvaz (Army), was responsible for planning and executing the operation. Despite launching a heavy counterattack on May 23 in the Allah Akbar area, Iraqi troops met resistance from the 3rd Brigade of the 92nd Armored Division and were forced to retreat.⁠[16]

Finally, the operation to clear Shahitiyeh Hill was carried out on May 26, 1981, and Iranian forces succeeded in taking control of the area.⁠[17]