Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – January 13, 1987

After the morning prayer, I talked to Mr. Shamkhani on the phone. Last night, they were able to capture one of the enemy's important positions in the east of the Douji River and send a sufficient force into Bovarin Island. They had arrived last night as well, but because the problem remained with the camp, no progress had been made. Mr. Mohsen Rezaei informed that a missile was hit in Baghdad. I ordered that solving the problem of enemy infiltration between the two sectors should be prioritized. I am supposed to go to the west to supervise the army's operations.

Mr. [Ahmed] Vahidi came. He quoted from Qurbani Far that he told Kongrelo that Soviet soldiers have come to Iraq and have taken over the leadership of operations against us. The tone of the Soviet Union in support of Iraq has recently become clear and brazen.

At nine o'clock in the morning, we left for the west. On the way, we asked Andimeshk about the state of the front. We were worried; Because the forces of the Iraqi President's Guard have started a heavy attack today. We ate lunch in a cafe near Kohdasht and prayed noon prayer there. We reached Islamabad West near the evening. It had just been bombed. People had evacuated the city and it was like a public holiday, even gas stations were not working.

In the first night, we arrived at the western base of the army's ground forces in the heights overlooking Somar and Naft Shahr. On the way from Kuhdasht to here, we passed through oak forests everywhere. Fortunately, we have so many good forests in the west.

In the camp, Mr. Hosni Saadi and Mr. Jamali said that we captured an Iraqi prisoner last night. He said that they are aware of our operation and they have also captured a rank from us. I asked their opinion about the operation. They said it is better to act. They went ahead to carry out the operation. I also waited in the camp.

Ahmad Agha sent a message on the phone that the rocket attack on Baghdad was very effective and should be launched again. I told them to hit.

After prayer and dinner, we recited tavasl prayer. At half past ten, the operation began with the code "Ya Fatemeh al-Zahra (pbuh)". The ground force operates with five divisions. I wanted to see the view from the roof of the camp, but nothing could be discerned except the sound of cannons and the lightning of weapons. We waited for the result. It was reported that we have bombed Iraq, Khorram Abad and Bakhtran and we have had success in the south.