Tragedy of Gordan-i Shwan

Tragedy of Gordan-i Shwan
Date 16 March 1988 Location {{{place}}} Result Iranian victory Entire platoon wiped out
Belligerents
Komala Gordan-i Shwan	Iran
Commanders and leaders
Shoke Xerabadi  †	Unknown
Strength
70	Several thousand
Casualties and losses
58 killed 12 taken as hostage	unknown but heavy

The tragedy of Gordan-i Shwan is the name of a conflict between the platoon Gordan-i Shwan who belonged to the party Komala and Iran. The conflict broke out during the chemical attack on Halabja in 1988 and led to hours of heavy and bloody fighting between Komala and Iran. A conflict which caused heavy damage to the Iranian army, as well as the lives of 70 young guerrillas.

The tragedy

On the day of March 16, 1988, the frontlines between Iran and Iraq came closer to Halabja and fighting became tougher and tougher. The area of Byara was given as a base for Gordan-i Shwan (Who was a part of the 11th band of Sine) and they were at the moment there. PDKI had also bases in the areas nearby and was pretty close to Gordan-i Shwan. Under the Iraq-Iran war, Komala's goals was to avoid as much fighting as possible because they didn't see it as their job to fight alongside "Kurd-killers". Anytime, when they realized that an area nearby will soon become a frontline between the two countries, they withdrew from there.

At the moment, Gordan-i Shwan was preparing themselves to go back in to East Kurdistan. The PDKI forces had already withdrawn their forces by then and they've passed the frontlines thanks to the PUK. Unfortunately, the commanders of Gordan-i Shwan relaized to late that the frontline was about to reach them. The Iranian army and the PUK took control over Halabja, and that made Saddam ordering a chemical attack on the innocent people of Halabja.

During the fighting, Gordan-i Shwan was on their way on withdrawal from that area. They found their own way by getting information about the area. There was a bridge who unfortunately came in to Iranian hands after a while so it would be impossible for the platoon to withdraw using the bridge. That made them return and choose another way. The only way left was the river of Sirwan. They knew that it would be hard to bypass it, since the river was very big back then, but they had to rescue themselves. On their way to the river of Sirwan, the Iraqi regime started their chemical attack on Halabja and it affected Gordan-i Shwan heavily. The effect made their bodies tired and damaged. They were totally unable to fight. And it slowed down their pace. They were so slow, that they reached the river of Sirwan after 7 hours of walking on a short distance.

When they reached the river of Sirwan, some Komala guerrillas were sent to as a rescue team to escort them to the other side of the river. They sent a boat to the other side, but were unsuccessful and even lost guerrillas on their way. Shortly before the rescue team sent a second boat, Gordan-i Shwan was ambushed by a large group of Iranian soldiers. Despite what happened to them on the way, they were able to resist and bloody fighting lasted until last person from Gordan-i Shwan got martyred.

Every year, on 16 March. Komala holds an anniversary to honor both the victims of the chemical attack on Halabja and their fallen comrades from Gordan-i Shwan and the day is officially known as the "Martyr's day of Komala"

References