1943 Barzani revolt The 1943 – 1945 Barzani revolt was a Kurdish nationalistic insurrection in the Kingdom of Iraq , during World War II . The revolt was led by Mustafa Barzani and was later joined by his older brother Ahmed Barzani , the leader of the previous Kurdish revolt in Iraq . The revolt , initiating in 1943 , was eventually put down by the Iraqi assault in late 1945 , combined with the defection of a number of Kurdish tribes . As a result , the Barzanis retreated with much of their forces into Iranian Kurdistan , joining the local Kurdish elements in establishing the Republic of Mahabad . Background . Ahmed Barzani revolt was the first of the major Barzani revolts and the third Kurdish nationalistic insurrection in modern Iraq . The revolt began in 1931 , after Ahmed Barzani , one of the most prominent Kurdish leaders in Southern Kurdistan , succeeded in unifying a number of other Kurdish tribes . The ambitious Kurdish leader enlisted a number of Kurdish leaders into the revolt , including his young brother Mustafa Barzani , who became one of the most notorious commanders during this revolt . The Barzan forces were eventually overpowered by Iraqi Army with British support , forcing the leaders of Barzan to go underground . After the 1931 events , Mulla Mustafa was reunited with Shaykh Ahmed Barzani as the Iraqi government arrested the brothers and exiled them to Mosul in 1933 . The two Barzanis were transferred to various cities in Iraq throughout the 1930s and early 1940s . During this time their stops included Mosul , Baghdad , Nasiriya , Kifri , and Altin Kopru before finally ending in Sulaymaniya . Meanwhile , back in Barzan , the remaining Barzani tribal fighters were faced with constant pressures of arrest or death . WWII and the Kurdish insurrection . British occupation . As World War II began to occupy the attention of the world ’ s nations , the Barzanis and their tribe were still internally separated and remained at odds with the Iraqi government . The British occupation of Iraq in 1941 , presumably to ensure Iraqi compliance with the Allied cause would indirectly lead to a reunion between Mustafa Barzani and his people and again pose a challenge to Iraqi authority . In 1943 , with inflation gripping Iraq and the British showing little concern about the Kurdish issue , the Barzani family found themselves unable to subsist on their meager government funds . Still in exile in Sulaymaniya , the Barzani financial situation became so dire the family resorted to selling their rifles and their gold jewelry . The indignation of having to part with their family fortune and their methods of self - defense led Mustafa Barzani to plot his return to Barzan . The impetus for Barzani ’ s return was strictly economic , not nationalist nor caused by a desire to counter any anti - British sentiment in Kurdistan , although Barzani did have contacts within Kurdish nationalist circles in Sulaymaniya , who may have aided him in his escape . First phase of insurrection . After receiving permission from Shaykh Ahmad Barzani , Mulla Mustafa , along with two close associates , fled Sulaymaniya and crossed into Iran . Once in the Iranian town of Shino , Barzani reunited with resettled members of the Barzani tribe and made his way to Barzan . Upon his return , Mulla Mustafa became “ the immediate object of attention from his own followers , the chiefs of neighboring tribes , Iraqi government officials who wished to reintern him , and members of the Kurdish nationalist movement ” . This latter group included Mir Hajj Ahmad and Mustafa Krushnaw , Kurdish officers in the Iraqi army and members of Hiwa , an underground Kurdish nationalist movement . Upon his return to Barzan , Mulla Mustafa recruited a force to challenge regional Iraqi authority . Numbering nearly 750 in only two weeks , Barzani fighters began small operations such as raiding police stations and frontier posts . These early raids demonstrated the growing military organization of Barzani ’ s forces . Although still mostly tribal , enrollment in Barzani ’ s force grew to nearly 2 , 000 within months as local Kurds , including those deserting the Iraqi army , joined the ranks . In order to organize this growing force , Barzani created combat groups of 15 - 30 men ; appointed Muhammad Amin Mirkhan , Mamand Maseeh , and Saleh Kaniya Lanji commanders ; and instilled strict rules of soldierly conduct . Throughout 1943 , Barzani and his fighters seized police stations and re - supplied themselves with Iraqi arms and ammunition . Once levels of command were created , Barzani established his headquarters in Bistri , a village halfway between his Rawanduz and Barzan forces . Barzani ' s forces achieved victories in the Battle of Gora Tu and the Battle of Mazna . During these battles , Barzani forces were able to defeat trained , organized , and well - supplied Iraqi army units . Diplomacy . Barzani petitioned the Iraqi government for autonomy as well as the release of Kurdish prisoners , including Shaykh Ahmed Barzani . Although the autonomy request was denied , the Iraqi government did negotiate with Barzani throughout the early 1940s . These negotiations led to the release of Shaykh Ahmed in early 1944 . Due to Iraqi recognition and Barzani ’ s wide influence and power , Kurdish patriots began to rally around Barzani , showing him their respect and turning him into the “ national beacon of the Kurdish liberation movement ” . Diplomacy between Mustafa Barzani and the Iraqi government began on a positive note , partially due to several Kurdish sympathizers within the Iraqi government . However , after the resignation of the Iraqi cabinet in 1944 , a new ruling body took over , one far less willing to give into Kurdish aspirations . As a result , previous concessions were ignored and pro - Kurdish diplomats were dismissed , opening a new round of Iraqi - Kurdish hostilities . With his position only strengthened by the previous administration , Mustafa Barzani continued his demands , while simultaneously preparing his forces for further military actions . Knowing the conflict was imminent , Barzani divided his forces into three fronts : a MargavarRawanduz front , commanded by former Iraqi official Mustafa Khoshnaw ; an Imadia front , led by Izzat Abd al - Aziz ; and an Aqra front , led by Sheikh Sulayman Barzani . All elements would be accountable to Mustafa Barzani , the self - proclaimed “ Commander - In - Chief of the Revolutionary Forces ” . Mustafa Barzani , with the approval of Shaykh Ahmad Barzani , also formed the Rizgari Kurd ( the Kurdish Freedom Party ) in early 1945 . Consisting primarily of Kurdish officers , government officials , and professionals , Rizgari Kurd intended to unify the Kurds , establish autonomy or independence within Iraq , and continue to create armed units to defend Kurdistan . Second phase ( 1945 ) . Despite Barzani ’ s order to his military to “ not initiate fighting ” , conflict re - erupted in August 1945 in the town of Margavar . This violence led to the death of prominent Kurd Wali Beg and several Iraqi police officers . As a result of Beg ’ s demise , the Kurdish populace , without any military authorization , overran the police stations in Margavar and Barzan . Barzani quickly returned from arbitrating a local tribal dispute and took command of the revolt . Against British advice , the Iraqi government attempted to pacify the region , declaring martial law , threatening military action , and demanding Barzani ’ s surrender . With diplomacy no longer an option , the Iraqis deployed numerous army units to the region to subdue the growing rebellion . In preparation for the conflict , Mustafa Barzani met with Shaykh Ahmed Barzani to decide who should command the forces against the looming Iraqi threat . The Barzanis decided that Mustafa Barzani himself should lead the Aqra force ; Mohammad Siddique Barzani , brother of Shaykh Ahmed and Mulla Mustafa , would lead the Margavar - Rawanduz front ; Haji Taha Imadi would lead the Balenda - Imadia front ; and As ’ ad Khosavi was given the responsibility of both surrounding the Bilah garrison and supplying the forces of the Aqra front . With command in place , the Barzani forces were able to dominate the early battles . The Iraqi army , attempting to seize the eastern slopes of Mount Qalandar , was driven back to the Gali Ali Beg Gorge . Although victorious , the Barzani forces did sustain numerous losses , including a serious injury to Commander Mohammad Siddique Barzani . On 4 September 1945 the Iraqi assault continued , as army units from Aqra and Rawanduz and a police unit from Amadia were deployed towards Barzan . A few days later in the Battle of Maidan Morik , Barzani fighters once again held their own against Iraqi mechanized and artillery batteries . As the battles degenerated to hand - to - hand combat , the Iraqi army , presumably losing command and control , was forced to retreat temporarily from the region . While Iraqi ground forces withdrew , the air raids kept on going . Despite the early Barzani victories , by the end of September 1945 the Iraqi government turned the tide of the conflict , convincing regional tribes to oppose the Barzanis and aid in suppressing the revolt . These tribal fighters , including members of the Zibrari , Berwari , and Doski tribes , and elements of the Muhajarin , loyal to several of the sons of Sayyid Taha of Shemdinan , attacked Barzani and his men , uprooting them from their “ defensive strongholds ” and preventing them from further attacking Iraqi troops in the region . These “ treasonous ” assaults , combined with the Iraqi occupation of Barzan on 7 October , forced Barzani to order his forces to retreat from the region and cross into Iranian Kurdistan . Once there , the Barzani family and their supporters settled in various towns in the Mahabad area , joining the local Kurdish nationalist elements . Aftermath . The Mahabad Republic stands as the high point of the Kurdish nationalist movement . This short period of national identity marked the official creation of the peshmerga and cemented the role of Mustafa Barzani as a military hero of the Kurdish people . During the short life of this nation - state , the idea of a Kurdish homeland finally came into being . Unfortunately for the Kurds , the Republic lasted only 12 months , from December 1945 to December 1946 . Following the failure of the Kurdish nation - state in Iran , Mustafa Barzani and his men retreated towards Iraq and eventually found refuge in the Soviet Union , where the Kurds were given sanctuary by the Soviets . Only in late 1950s , Mustafa Barzani would begin a process of reconciliation with the Iraqi government , which would however fail and the Kurdish - Iraqi conflict would re - erupt into its most violent phase from 1961 .