41st Tharallah (as) Division :: Holy Defence free online Encyclopedia

41st Tharallah (as) Division

Written by: Akram Jafarabadi Translated by: Hadi Qorbanyar
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The 41st Tharallah (as) Division was one of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) units during the Iran-Iraq War. It served under the command of Hajj Qasem Soleimani and played an active and effective role in most operations.

The core of the 41st Tharallah (as) Infantry Division was formed in 1980⁠[1] by individuals and groups in Kerman Province who, before the Iran-Iraq War, had been fighting anti-revolutionary elements in Kurdistan and Sistan and Baluchestan through revolutionary committees.⁠[2]

The division was centered in Kerman Province, though its manpower was drawn not only from Kerman but also from Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan provinces.⁠[3] Hajj Qasem Soleimani commanded the division from its founding through to the end of the war.⁠[4]

From the start of the Iran-Iraq War through the early months of 1981, IRGC members from the region were deployed — outside of western Iran — to Susangerd, Dahlawiyeh, and Malekiyeh in the south, taking part in operations such as Imam Mahdi (as)⁠[5] and Zulfaqariyeh. In mid-1981, however, 360 fighters from across Kerman Province were organized into a combat company under the command of Gholam-Abbas Golzar and participated in the liberation of Karkheh-Koor during Operation Shahid Chamran in July 1981⁠[6]. This marked the beginning of the Kerman IRGC’ s organized presence on the fronts.⁠[7] Two additional battalions of Kerman then arrived in Abadan (the Shahid Beheshti Battalion under Muhammad-Mahdi Kazerooni and the Shahidan Bahonar va Rajaei Battalion under Mansoor Homayoonfar), setting the stage for Kerman forces to take part in Operation Thamen al-Aemmah (as), aimed at breaking the siege of Abadan in September 1981.⁠[8]

In November 1981, Kerman fighters— comprising two battalions, the Hazrat Abalfazl (as) and Shahidan Rajaei va Bahonar, along with one reserve battalion— participated in Operation Tariq al-Quds under Hajj Qasem Soleimani’ s command. Leading the Karbala Brigade, they were tasked with capturing the Sabaleh Bridge and then advancing toward Bostan and reaching the Chazabeh border.⁠[9]

Following Operation Tariq al-Quds, a number of new combat brigades were established within the IRGC, one of which was the 41st Tharallah (as) Brigade under Hajj Qasem Soleimani’ s command.⁠[10] The brigade was formed in 1981 at Dokooheh Garrison, drawing from Kerman, Sistan and Baluchestan, and Hormozgan provinces, with four battalions in total.⁠[11]

In Operation Fath al-Mubin, carried out in March 1982 to liberate Dehloran, Shush, and Dezful, the brigade deployed five battalions and one combat group and successfully captured the Abu Gharib Pass.⁠[12]

In Operation Beit al-Muqaddas, launched in April and May 1982 to liberate Khorramshahr and Hoveyzeh, the Tharallah (as) Brigade deployed nine battalions and liberated 2,000 square kilometers of the 5,000 square kilometers in the area, pushing the enemy back to the border lines.⁠[13]

In Operation Ramazan, conducted in July 1982 with the aim of destroying enemy forces and equipment east of Basra,⁠[14] the Tharallah (as) Brigade deployed five battalions and managed to liberate Mehran and its surrounding heights.⁠[15]

After Operation Ramazan, the 41st Tharallah (as) Brigade⁠[16] expanded its organization to three brigades⁠[17]— named Hezbollah, Jundollah, and Ruhollah⁠[18] — along with one armored battalion. By order of Mohsen Rezaei and under Hajj Qasem Soleimani’ s command, it was elevated to division status, thereby becoming the Tharallah (as) Division.⁠[19]

Throughout the Iran-Iraq War, the division took part in 24 major operations and dozens of smaller ones: Valfajr 1 in April 1983⁠[20] and Valfajr 3 in August 1983⁠[21] to liberate Mehran and the heights overlooking it;⁠[22] Valfajr 4 in October 1983,⁠[23] Karbala 10 in April 1987,⁠[24] and Nasr 4 in June 1987⁠[25] to drive the enemy from the areas around Marivan and Sardasht and capture the Panjwin Heights;⁠[26] Kheibar in February and March 1984⁠[27] and Badr in March 1985⁠[28] to cross the Hoor al-Azim marshes, help seize the Majnoon Islands, and strike deep into enemy territory around the Tigris River;⁠[29] Valfajr 8 in February 1986⁠[30] to cross the Arvand River, break through enemy lines, and capture the Al-Faw-Persian Gulf Road;⁠[31] Karbala 5 in January and February 1987⁠[32] to seize the Jasem waterway, build an embankment there, and connect it to the west of the fishing canal;⁠[33] Valfajr 10 in March 1988⁠[34] to capture the Khoornavzan Peak from the Suren Heights⁠[35] and engage Iraqi troops at Shirmar Hill while taking a number of them as prisoners;⁠[36] and Mersad in July 1988 to liberate Islamabad from Munafiqeen occupation and clear the Islamabad– Karand Road.⁠[37]

The 41st Tharallah (as) Division included the Imam Hussain (as) Battalion, the 410th Diving Battalion, the 415th Karbala Battalion, the 416th Battalion, the 415th Kahnooj Battalion, the 409th Zabol and Sistan Battalion, and the 405th Malek Ashtar Battalion of Shahr-e Babak.⁠[38] Most of their commanders were martyred during operations Karbala 4 and, in particular, Karbala 5.⁠[39]

Among the division’ s most prominent martyrs were Qasem Mirhussaini, deputy commander of the division; Mansoor Homayoonfar, deputy commander of the Tharallah (as) Brigade; and Yoones Zangiabadi, commander of the Imam Hussain (as) Brigade.⁠[40]

After the Iran-Iraq War ended and combat units returned to their home provinces, the 41st Tharallah (as) Division was stationed in Kerman. Shortly after, however, as instability grew in southeastern Iran — across Kerman, Sistan and Baluchestan, and southern Khorasan — the division was assigned under Hajj Qasem Soleimani’ s command to clear those areas,⁠[41] a mission that lasted eight years.⁠[42]

In 2007, following the formation of the IRGC units in provinces across the country, the 41st Tharallah (as) Division was renamed the Tharallah (as) IRGC of Kerman Province.⁠[43]

The book “ Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of the 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense) ”, covering the division’ s operational record, was written by Abbas Mirzaei and published in 2016 by the Sacred Defense Documents and Research Center.⁠[44]

The names of the division’ s martyrs — most of whom were from Kerman — are engraved in stone at the Kerman Sacred Defense Garden Museum.⁠[45] Currently, Colonel Javad Muhammadi Soleimani is the commander of the 41st Tharallah (as) Division.⁠[46]

References

[1]. Mahnameh-ye Shahed-e Yaran (Shahed-e Yaran Monthly), No. 171, Bahman-e 1398, p. 24.
[2]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), Tehran: Markaz-e Asnad va Taqiqat-e Defa Muqaddas, 1395, p. 12.
[3]. Ibid., p. 16.
[4]. Mahnameh-ye Shahed-e Yaran (Shahed-e Yaran Monthly), Ibid., p. 24.
[5]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), Pp. 17-19.
[6]. Ibid., Pp. 21, 24.
[7]. Ibid., p. 30.
[8]. Ibid., Pp. 24, 34.
[9]. Ibid., Pp. 38-39.
[10]. Jannesar, Muhammad, Parvaz-e Baghdad - Behesht (Baghdad Flight - Paradise), Shahr-e Kord: Sedrat al-Montaha, 1398, p. 101.
[11]. Mahnameh-ye Shahed-e Yaran (Shahed-e Yaran Monthly), Ibid., p. 15.
[12]. Ibid., Pp. 44, 46.
[13]. Jannesar, Muhammad, Parvaz-e Baghdad - Behesht (Baghdad Flight - Paradise), p. 364.
[14]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 58.
[15]. Jannesar, Muhammad, Parvaz-e Baghdad - Behesht (Baghdad Flight - Paradise), p. 364.
[16]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 65.
[17]. Mahnameh-ye Shahed-e Yaran (Shahed-e Yaran Monthly), Ibid., p. 25.
[18]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 66.
[19]. Mahnameh-ye Shahed-e Yaran (Shahed-e Yaran Monthly), Ibid., p. 25.
[20]. Ibid., p. 68.
[21]. Ibid., p. 72.
[22]. Jannesar, Muhammad, Parvaz-e Baghdad - Behesht (Baghdad Flight - Paradise), p. 364.
[23]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 76.
[24]. Ibid., p. 132.
[25]. Ibid., p. 136.
[26]. Jannesar, Muhammad, Parvaz-e Baghdad - Behesht (Baghdad Flight - Paradise), p. 364.
[27]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 84.
[28]. Ibid., p. 94.
[29]. Jannesar, Muhammad, Parvaz-e Baghdad - Behesht (Baghdad Flight - Paradise), p. 364.
[30]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 102.
[31]. Mahnameh-ye Shahed-e Yaran (Shahed-e Yaran Monthly), Ibid., p. 25.
[32]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 116.
[33]. Ibid., p. 120.
[34]. Ibid., p. 140.
[35]. Izadi, Yadollah, Roozshomar-e Jang-e Iran va Arag, Ketab-e Panjaho Chaharom: Amaliyat-e Valfajr 10 (Chronology of the Iran-Iraq War, Book 54: Operation Valfajr 10), Tehran: Markaz-e Asnad va Taqiqat-e Defa Muqaddas, 1392, p. 56.
[36]. Ibid., p. 105.
[37]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 154.
[38]. Khabargozari-e Asr-e Hamoon, Code 137759, Infographik-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah (Infographic of 41st Tharallah (as) Division).
[39]. Mahnameh-ye Shahed-e Yaran (Shahed-e Yaran Monthly), Ibid., p. 56.
[40]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 166.
[41]. Mahnameh-ye Shahed-e Yaran (Shahed-e Yaran Monthly), Ibid., p. 56.
[42]. Bani Lohi, Seyyed Ali, In Mard Payan Nadarad, Zendegi-ye Jahadi-ye Shahid Soleimani (This Man Has No End: The Jihadi Life of Martyr Soliymani), Isfahan: Rah-e Behesht, 1398, 5th ed., p. 134.
[43]. Mahnameh-ye Shahed-e Yaran (Shahed-e Yaran Monthly), Ibid., p. 25.
[44]. Khabargozari-e Defa Muqaddas (Sacred Defense News Agency), Code 390065.
[45]. Mirzaei, Abbas, Atlas-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Atlas of 41st Tharallah (as) Division in the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), p. 168; Khabargozari-e Asr-e Hamoon, Code 137759, Infographik-e Lashkar-e 41-e Tharallah (Infographic of 41st Tharallah (as) Division).
[46]. Sait-e Ostandari-e Kerman, https://gov.kr.ir/RContent/

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