From Wire Cervices
Saqqez, iran—Transport helicopters shuttled several
hundred fresh government troops into the besieged mill-
tory garrison in this rebel-held city in westerq Iran yester
day. Kurdish insurgents said they captured six govern.
ment tanks from militiamen moving toward Saqqex from
the south.
Rebels brought one of the captured tanks with them to
the city and moved it into position not far from the mili-
tary compound as American-made Cobra helicopter gun-
ships swooped low, spraying the area with machine-gun
fire and rockets. The other five tanks were positioned out-
side town to bolster defenses.
In Tehrafl, the official news agency Pars reported gov-
ernment troops had recaptured Saqqez, but telephone lines
were down and independent confirmation was not possi-
ble, Two hours before the Pars report was Sued, an th-
server said only that fighting continued at the compound
and helicopter gunships were firing rockets in several
areas of the town.
The state radio said earlier that Kurt had placed
women and children on a bridge leading to Saqqez, forcing
an advancing army column to bold Its firt It gave no fur-
ther details. At that time, correspondents in. Saqqes re-
ported the town firmly under Kurdlsh control and said n O
troops had been seen in or on the outskirts of Saqqei or
near the bridge.
The tough Kurdish fighters, in their tasseled headbands
and ba ggy pants, took cover from the rockets In the rubble
of devastated buildings. Most of the Kurds, who seek au-
tonomy for Kurdistan province, a mountainous northwest-
ern region where they number about 5 millIon, brandished
new Russian-made Kalashnlkov automatic rifles and Ira-
nlan 0-3's. Others carried weapons of World War II vin-
tage.
Abdulrahman Qanemlou, a Kurdlah leader, told re-
porters In Mahabad that Kurds were prepared to negotiate
with the government If fourconditfons were met
Re said the conditions were: The suspension of further
troop reinforcements in the Kurdish ngion the release of
Kurdish political prisonen the freeing of all Kurdish hos-
tages; and an end to executions of Kurt alleged to have
taken part in the fighting.
Mr. Qassemlou said If these conditions were not met
the Kurt would continue fighting.
Mahabad was completely In Kurdish bands and the
guerrillas were armed with Soviet-made Kalashnlkov
American M-l6 and Czechoslovak-made Berno automatic
rifles ,
At dusk, the rebels in Saqqez began moving up heavier
weapons including recoilless rifles, apparently in prepara-
tion for a major assault on the garrison occupied by about
500 regular government troops and revOlutionary guards.
The Kurds said they captured the six tanks intact about
25 miles south of here after they ambushed about 41)0 reg-
ular troops and revolutionary militiamen marching on
Saqqex to relieve the mllltarycompound's defenders.
The Iranian Kurds are part of an ethnic group with
large populations in Turkey, Iraq and Syria that they
claim totals 16 mIllion. They are mostly SuS Muslims, a
majority In the world of Islam, beta minority In thIs coun-
try, where SUites are predominant.
As the fighting eased brtSyrit became ipparent thata
large concentration of government troops-more than 25
miles south of Saqqex—wasuáableto break through the
Kurdlsh defense perimeter encompassing roads, hills and
rugged terrain.
The Kurt, though short of anus, have manajed to
keep the Army troops bottledup.
Another column of government forces headed toward
Mahabad north of here for what could become another
major confrontation. Mahabad is the Kurt' major strong-
hold, and headquarters of the Kurd lsh Democratic party.
Before Shah Mohammad Beta Pahlavl went into exile
Mlanuary;he keptstrong military forces In Kurdistan to
eupprea the Kurt! AflSnt aspirations for freedom and *
nation of their own. Alter the revolution and the coll*ps
of the army, Kurdlth natloealSi flared again but the goal
was self-rule, not independence.
pg. A2
Kurdish insurgents hold Iranian Army at bay
The Sun (183 7-1985); Aug 25, 1979; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Baltimore Sun, The (1837-1986)
Kurdish insurgents hold Iranian Army at bay
Last week, Kurt seized the city of Paveh, In Kurdis-
tan, and held It for five days until army troops and revolu-
tiOnary guardsmen drove them out.•
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