Najmadin Shukr Rauf

Najmadin Shukr Rauf Zanganeh, known by his ''nom-de-guerre'' as "Mama Risha" (, July 1, 1957 – January 25, 1985), was a Kurdish guerilla fighter and member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

Life

He was born in the village of Talaban near Kirkuk into a poor Sunni Kurdish family from the town of Chamchamal. Risha was born in a village belonging to the Cebari tribe. He was described as illiterate and a ''nuejker'' (Central Kurdish: someone who is meticulous about Islamic prayer).Andrea Fischer-Tahir: ''»Wir gaben viele Märtyrer«. Widerstand und kollektive Identitätsbildung in Irakisch-Kurdistan'', ISBN 978-3-89771-015-3, Münster 2003, p. 135–136 As a teenager, his village was raided by the Iraqi military. Angered by what he witnessed during the raid, he would go on to join the PUK, quickly gaining a reputation as a fearless fighter. Later, as commander of the Garmiyan battalion, he was celebrated for his military prowess due to how he would organise ambushes and raids on Iraqi military columns.

He initially fought in the ranks of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1970. The failure of the Kurdish autonomy agreement with the Iraqi government and the initiation of the Arabization policy by the Baath Party in the Kurdish regions of Kirkuk and Khanaqin ultimately led to the outbreak of the Second Iraqi–Kurdish War in 1975. Barzani's defeat in this war led to the founding of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which Risha joined.

On 17. May 1982 in the village of Hamek, where a small contingent of 11-12 PUK Peshmergas, commanded by Mama Risha, engaged approximately 8,000 Iraqi Ba'athist soldiers. This confrontation is notable for Mama Risha's emergence as a prominent figure, as he successfully defended the village against the larger Ba'athist force with his limited number of Peshmergas.

With unwavering resolve, he addressed his Peshmergas, stating:

Death

Shorof, during the 2018 interview, explained how Najmadin had died in an ambush following a skirmish with Iraqi soldiers near Laylan, Kirkuk Governorate. Shorof recounted that as Najmadin was returning from the skirmish, a Kurdish agent working with the Iraqi government invited him to the spy's house. Unsuspecting, and believing the friendship offered by his fellow countryman was sincere, he entered the house and was ambushed and gunned down by a machine gun.

Legacy

Risha became a symbol of the indomitable and legendary fighter among Kurds in the war against the Iraqi government through his successes as a troop leader and military skills.

According to some sources, he chose the nickname "Mama Risha" (meaning bearded uncle) because he swore that he would never shave his beard until Kurdistan was fully free from the Ba'athist Iraqi government's control. He was also nicknamed "The Iron Man" and "Lion of Kirkuk" by his fellow guerrilla fighters due to his conduct during battles with Iraqi forces in the Kirkuk region.

In a 2018 interview with his brother, Shorof, and Najmadin's widow, Nishtiman, they spoke about their memories with Najmadin. Nishtiman said that him that he had "loved swimming, games of all types and physical exercise." When asked of his other interests, she replied with a smile "He was totally focussed on defeating Saddam, of defending his brothers and sisters, and how he could gain independence and freedom for his country."

See also

*Peshmerga
*Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
*Iran–Iraq War

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rauf, Najmadin Shukr
Iraqi Kurdish people
1957 births
People from Kirkuk Governorate
1985 deaths
Kurdish guerrillas
Kurdish military personnel killed in action
Kurdish nationalists