Medal and Leave - 2
11 notes from and Iraqi captiveCompiled by Hedayatollah Behboudi
Translated by: M.B. Khoshnevisan
2025-08-10
Medal and Leave - 2
11 notes from and Iraqi captive
Compiled by Hedayatollah Behboudi
Translated by: M.B. Khoshnevisan
***
Episode two: Mine field
On one of the days in July 1983, our forces' column positioned itself on the highlands and towering peaks of Haj Omran, which held immense strategic importance and where movement was extremely difficult. From this side, fierce and surprise attacks were launched day and night by Saddam's forces and Iranian forces to capture the summit of "Gerdkoo." Movement in such positions usually took place under the cover of darkness. Until that morning, we had been unaware of the critical importance of this area.
Our presence in this location was like sitting on the mouth of a volcano that could erupt and flare up at any moment. Therefore, it was necessary to establish multiple layers of various barriers there. For this purpose, a committee was formed from the demolition engineering battalion to inspect the minefield that had been laid in the area. The committee was dispatched the following night to begin their work, but upon their return, something strange and astonishing happened—they did not find a single mine in that field!
This incident, in military terms, meant a significant failure for our forces. The matter was reported to Lieutenant Hakim, Ja'far, the commander of the second company of the first battalion of the 604th Infantry Brigade. A strange chaos ensued. Everyone believed that our units would be attacked that night. Necessary measures were taken as quickly as possible—the area was mined again, and additional barriers were set up. This was done overnight by the demolition engineering committee in an atmosphere filled with terror, as it was feared the attack might come before dawn. They concluded that the new minefield was better than the previous one and could neutralize an attack by the Islamic forces... but no attack came. The next day was extremely difficult because we had to spend the entire time inside cramped and tiny shelters—shelters that couldn’t even protect us from a thrown stone, let alone bullets or mortar shrapnel.
Night fell. The guards, sentries, and patrols took their positions, and the mine inspection committee was dispatched to the minefield to complete the remaining tasks. Yet, to everyone’s utter astonishment and disbelief, there was still no sign of the mines. This news spread like lightning, and once again, terror and dread gripped everyone.
The responsible authorities were promptly informed, and their response was swiftly relayed to the units. Soldiers behind the embankments were equipped with various heavy and semi-heavy weapons, while several officers, surveillance agents, and radio operators were deployed to the area.
The tanks advanced to the closest point near the contact lines. Everyone was ready, fingers on the triggers, awaiting the order to fire.
On the opposite front, there was complete silence; the Iranian forces did not fire a single bullet, and this multiplied our terror. The demolition engineering team cautiously entered the minefield. They all had little hope of returning, as they believed the attack would happen that night. So, for the third time, they began laying mines, but this time, due to extra caution, the task lasted until near dawn. As they were returning, the darkness of night had not yet given way to daylight when suddenly one of the men heard a sound of tapping from within the minefield. He alerted the others. Fear and horror stole their breath, and an eerie silence fell. Everyone was anticipating a terrible and profound disaster. The longer the moments of waiting stretched, the deeper their dread and terror grew. They clung more firmly to the rocks and sandbags, as if taking root in the soil. The sound of tapping echoed again inside the field. The men braced themselves in a prone position. Breaths were held tightly in their chests, as hard as stone. Immediate contact was established with the battalion headquarters, which was on full alert. The mortar and artillery units were ordered to fire flare rounds. The flares were launched, piercing the darkness of the night. Everything became as bright as day. At that moment, a dirt-colored blanket was spotted in the middle of the field. Beneath it, two men crawled swiftly toward the Iranian units. The Iranian forces behind the embankments subjected us to heavy mortar and artillery fire—so intense that two Iranians, leaving behind three sacks full of intact mines, retreated to their own embankment. They had been unable to carry the mines with them as they had done before. The light of dawn replaced the darkness of night, but the mine-laying team had not been able to complete their task. Thus, they too retreated behind the embankments.
That day, we felt extremely exhausted because we hadn't slept the night before, so we thought it best to rest a little. But at ten in the morning, the forces of Islam subjected us to heavy bombardment. They targeted all the trenches, shelters, and observation posts in such a way that all our forces were pinned down. No one dared to raise their head because they would immediately be hit by sniper fire. This barrage caused several of our forces to fall to the ground, covered in blood.
However, as soon as the shelling ended, the Iranian forces emerged from behind the embankments and, like a marathon race, advanced toward our forces with cries of "Allaho Akbar"[God is greater]—a shout that sent shivers down our spines and even made the mountains tremble. I believe the cry of "Allaho Akbar," especially when it comes from the throats of the oppressed and the sincere, renders them in need of no other weapon. I don’t know how I survived. At one moment, I came to my senses and realized I was running with all my might toward the valleys. It felt so strange—like I was dreaming. It was exactly like a shimmering mirage. I, along with all the Iraqi forces, abandoned the towering peak of Gerdkoo so that the ever-victorious flag of Islam could wave over it.
To be continued ...
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