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Najmadin Shukr Rauf Zanganeh, known by his nom-de-guerre as "Mama Risha" (Kurdish: مامه ڕیشه, lit. 'Bearded Uncle', July 1, 1957 – January 25, 1985), was a Kurdish guerilla fighter and member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).[1][2][3]
Najmadin Shukr Rauf | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 1, 1957 Talaban, Kingdom of Iraq |
| Died | January 24, 1985 (aged 27) |
Life
editHe was born in the village of Talaban near Kirkuk into a poor Sunni Kurdish family from the town of Chamchamal. 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.[1][3] 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.[3]
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.[1][2][3] 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.[1][3]
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."[3]
Death
editShorof, 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.[1][2][3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Les Kurdes rendent hommage à Mama Risha". Kurdistan au féminin (in French). 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
- ^ a b c Serinci, Deniz Berxwedan. "Fjendens frygt - Mama Risha". Jiyan.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2023-12-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g Valentine, Simon Ross. "Kurds remember Mama Risha and his Peshmerga legacy". www.rudaw.net. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
External links
edit- Memorial site at the Wayback Machine (archived October 27, 2009)