BLACKEAGLE
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April 2016–present clashes in West Iran refers to the ongoing military clashes between Kurdish insurgent parties Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), Komalah and Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) versus the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, which began in April 2016. The clashes came following a background of what PDKI described as "growing discontent in Rojhelat". The commander of the PAK military wing described their engagement and declaration of hostilities against the Iranian government were due to the fact that "the situation in eastern Kurdistan (Iranian Kurdistan) has become unbearable, especially with the daily arbitrary executions against the Kurds".
Background
Further information: Kurdish separatism in Iran, Mahabad riots, and Kurdish nationalism
The PDKI had announced the "restart [of] armed resistance against the Islamic Republic of Iran" on February 25th. The PDKI explained that their return to arms was due to "growing discontent in Rojhelat". Commander of the PAK military wing described their engagement and declaration of hostilities against Iranian government due to the fact that "the situation in eastern Kurdistan (Iranian Kurdistan) has become unbearable, especially with the daily arbitrary executions against the Kurds".
Timeline
On 19 April 2016, PAK's armed Peshmerga units, named Kurdistan Freedom Eagles for East Kurdistan (HAK-R), attacked Iranian government security forces in Sanandaj during annual Army Day Parade of Iran, claiming to have resumed the armed Kurdish national struggle.
On 4 May 2016, the PDKI Peshmerga engaged the Iranian security forces in Sardasht area, killing 8-10 soldiers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Following the clash, the PDKI announced in its Twitter account that "A Peshmerga code of Resistance has been released in Eastern Kurdistan: "Lions Hunt, Hyenas Eat the Dead"". There were reports about the involvement of the Iranian air force in targeting the fighting positions of the rebel group, according to Kurdish sources.
On the following day Hussein Yazdanpana, the commander of the military wing of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) in Iran, told Asharq Alawsat that their force will soon resume military operations against the Iranian government forces, “Iran is at the doorstep of a wide-scale armed uprising … that will include all off its cities”.
On 20 May 2016, Kurdish groups reported an Iranian military build-up along the Iraqi border, constructing new military forts along its borders with the Kurdistan Region and deploying extra troops to the area. Nine new forts have been built along the border, according to the Kurdish groups.
On 20 May, Authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran executed five Kurdish rights activists in the northwestern Urmia city. The Kurdish rights activists Naji Kiwan, Ali Kurdian, Haidar Ramini, Nadir Muhamadi and Ruhman Rashidi were arrested several days earlier on charges of “conspiring against the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
On 13 June 2016, it was reported that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps ambushed and killed five members of the PJAK in the country’s northwest. The statement of Iran also said that the militants whom the IRGC killed, had assassinated two members of Iran’s paramilitary Basiji militia in May 2016, in the border-city of Sardasht, along with an engineer who was working for the IRGC on “development projects” in border areas. The clash between IRGC and PJAK came after many months of cease of hostilities between the sides and without explicit announcement of PJAK concerning the Kurdish militant movements' activity since April 2016.
On 16 June 2016, 6 IRGC security members including their commander were reportedly killed by Kurdish insurgents of the PDKI in Shno area according to statement of Rostam Jahangiri - head of the PDKI political and military commission. Iranian media reported 8 Kurdish insurgents dead in the event. Iranian artillery fire was reported in the area in the aftermath of the clash and Iranian reinforcements were dispatched into the area. In the aftermath of two day clashes in Shno, the PDKI reported 6 their members killed, claiming to bring down more than 20 IRGC members and wound 17. Iranian official statement acknowledged 3 Iranian security members and "12 terrorists".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_West_Iran_clashes
Background
Further information: Kurdish separatism in Iran, Mahabad riots, and Kurdish nationalism
The PDKI had announced the "restart [of] armed resistance against the Islamic Republic of Iran" on February 25th. The PDKI explained that their return to arms was due to "growing discontent in Rojhelat". Commander of the PAK military wing described their engagement and declaration of hostilities against Iranian government due to the fact that "the situation in eastern Kurdistan (Iranian Kurdistan) has become unbearable, especially with the daily arbitrary executions against the Kurds".
Timeline
On 19 April 2016, PAK's armed Peshmerga units, named Kurdistan Freedom Eagles for East Kurdistan (HAK-R), attacked Iranian government security forces in Sanandaj during annual Army Day Parade of Iran, claiming to have resumed the armed Kurdish national struggle.
On 4 May 2016, the PDKI Peshmerga engaged the Iranian security forces in Sardasht area, killing 8-10 soldiers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Following the clash, the PDKI announced in its Twitter account that "A Peshmerga code of Resistance has been released in Eastern Kurdistan: "Lions Hunt, Hyenas Eat the Dead"". There were reports about the involvement of the Iranian air force in targeting the fighting positions of the rebel group, according to Kurdish sources.
On the following day Hussein Yazdanpana, the commander of the military wing of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) in Iran, told Asharq Alawsat that their force will soon resume military operations against the Iranian government forces, “Iran is at the doorstep of a wide-scale armed uprising … that will include all off its cities”.
On 20 May 2016, Kurdish groups reported an Iranian military build-up along the Iraqi border, constructing new military forts along its borders with the Kurdistan Region and deploying extra troops to the area. Nine new forts have been built along the border, according to the Kurdish groups.
On 20 May, Authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran executed five Kurdish rights activists in the northwestern Urmia city. The Kurdish rights activists Naji Kiwan, Ali Kurdian, Haidar Ramini, Nadir Muhamadi and Ruhman Rashidi were arrested several days earlier on charges of “conspiring against the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
On 13 June 2016, it was reported that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps ambushed and killed five members of the PJAK in the country’s northwest. The statement of Iran also said that the militants whom the IRGC killed, had assassinated two members of Iran’s paramilitary Basiji militia in May 2016, in the border-city of Sardasht, along with an engineer who was working for the IRGC on “development projects” in border areas. The clash between IRGC and PJAK came after many months of cease of hostilities between the sides and without explicit announcement of PJAK concerning the Kurdish militant movements' activity since April 2016.
On 16 June 2016, 6 IRGC security members including their commander were reportedly killed by Kurdish insurgents of the PDKI in Shno area according to statement of Rostam Jahangiri - head of the PDKI political and military commission. Iranian media reported 8 Kurdish insurgents dead in the event. Iranian artillery fire was reported in the area in the aftermath of the clash and Iranian reinforcements were dispatched into the area. In the aftermath of two day clashes in Shno, the PDKI reported 6 their members killed, claiming to bring down more than 20 IRGC members and wound 17. Iranian official statement acknowledged 3 Iranian security members and "12 terrorists".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_West_Iran_clashes
