IRANIAN FORCES CAPTURED the
Kurdish stronghold of Mababad.
The rebel troops streamed out of the city
under heavy attack from two sides by army
troops backed by tanks, tighter planes and
helicopter gunships, Hundreds of civilians
carrying their belongings also left the city In
northwest Iran. There were no reports on
casualties,
Fighting continued on the outskirts of
Mahabad as government forces attempted
to block the Kurds' exodus into the moun
talus near the Iraqi border ‘We shall be
your guests every night.” the Kurds chanted
as they withdrew, threatening a protracted
guerrilla war.
With the army's takeover in Maha
bad, Banek appeared to be the govern
meat's twit target. The loss is seen as a
crippling one for the Kurds, who had
pinned niuch of their hopes for success
on holding the city
