Suspension of Executions and Retreat to Ghandil?

About two months ago, the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to observers, stepped into an unwanted war with PJAK, the armed Kurdish group that has a regional presence. Initially, IRGC Revolutionary Guards declared that the Kurdish group which it calls a terrorist organization, would be completely annihilated in two months. But these days, and particularly after the cooling of the armed clashes between the two sides, the goal of annihilating this anti-Islamic Republic Kurdish group has been relegated to a mere retreat of the PJAK from the Jasoosan Heights, which the IRGC interprets as the group’s defeat and surrender.

And even though neither side has formally declared the end of the armed clashes, the statements issued by both indicate that PJAK’s retreat from the borders and the suspension of political executions of Kurds by the Islamic regime are the conditions for the parties to stop the clashes.

The Party of Free Life of Kurdistan, PJAK, announced through a statement on Sunday that if the Islamic Republic of Iran accepted their cease fire conditions, it would implement its decision on Monday. IRGC officials presented varying responses to this proposal. Some had requested that the details be announced by PJAK while others called it “meaningless,” and stressed on the destruction of the party. Whatever the details, neither party has announced any clashes since the announced cease fire days.

But the battle has now shifted to the media.

From Kalashnikov to Mortar

Both sides, but particularly the Islamic republic, have tried during this week to portray the other side as the defeated party in the two month clashes through media battles. The deputy commander of IRGC’s ground forces claimed that PJAK had accepted all the Islamic republic’s conditions and had raised its hands to surrender. Many Tehran newspapers carried this headline: “PJAK Surrenders.”  The IRGC commander Araghi also said, as reported by Fars news agency, that the PKK (Kurdish Workers Party) had said that they had many offshoots and that the purpose of their creation was to hit at the hear of the regime in Tehran.

What Araghi meant by this is that PJAK, which is the PKK’s Iranian branch, even though both sides disclaim and reject this assertion and relationship.

Araghi also said that the most important weapon in the hands of the PJAK was their personal weaponry and the Kalashnikov rifle, but that the group had been armed with advanced mortars and anti-aircraft weaponry, and particularly very advanced engineering explosives from Israel who had also trained them.

Good Training

This is the first time that a senior military official of the Islamic Republic has praised the military prowess of the PKK and PJAK. “Members of this group have received good training and enjoyed a high physical capability,” he said. Araghi also claimed that despite this, the IRGC had killed 180 members of PJAK and wounded another 300. PJAK on the other hand claims to have killed at least 600 members of the IRGC. Independent sources have not till now confirmed the number of deaths.

Other military-security officials of the Islamic republic have also made specific assertions about the PJAK. Hassan Firuzabadi, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is among those who said that the IRGC operations had sent a “clear signal to the enemies.” Sobh Sadegh (IRGC’s official mouthpiece) also had a story on this authored by Yadollah Javani who wrote that these operations were yet another “golden page” in the annals of the IRGC.

Jasoosan Heights right on the border between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan had for years been in the hands of the PKK and PJAK. Commander Araghi has claimed that the IRGC has finally taken control of the hills. PJAK initially rejected this claim, but subsequently said that the presence of the IRGC on the heights was because of cooperation and knowledge of PJAK, and not a retreat. A PJAK spokesperson also confirmed that the IRGC was in Jasoosan in an interview with AFP.

End of Political Executions in Kurdistan?

Murrad Karilan, PKK’s number two man who has taken over the leadership of the party after Abdollah Ojalan was imprisoned has said that the PKK disposed of the Jasoosan in order to avoid further clashes. Speaking to Farat news agency, Karilan said that a cease fire was the demand of both sides, and that Iran had respected it so far.

While no official from the PKK or PJAK has provided any details of the cease fire and its details, there are some reported that PJAK had requested the end of shelling and the suspension of political executions to be the conditions for accepting the cease fire. Karilan also is quoted to have asked for the end of Iran’s executions as a step forward on this issue.