Najmadin Shukr Rauf

Najmadin Shukr Rauf or Mama Risha (Kurdish: مامه‌ ڕیشه‌ meaning Bearded Uncle) (July 1, 1957 – January 25, 1985), was a prominent member of the Peshmerga loyal to the PUK, in Southern Kurdisttan. Kurdish prolonged warfare with the Iraqi Government armed forces in their struggle for self-ruled northern Iraq (Southern Kurdistan)

Najmadin Shukur Rauf Zanganeh, known as Mama Risha, is a well-known name among Kurds and Iraqis, for his courage and fearlessness, who became a heroic and courageous Peshmerga and fought for the freedom of Kurdistan, and for that he sacrificed his life and war for this freedom and soul. Made it a name that would be famous.

Born in the village of Talaban near Kirkuk into a poor family. He was shamal’s brother the chamchamal most known gentlemen.Since there were no schools in their village he never went to school. He was soon recognised for his qualities as a guerrilla fighter as well as his personal qualities like bravery, courage, sincerity and fairness. He became the commander of Karti 4 Jabari in 1982, under his command Karti 4 became one of the most effective forces of PUK. His mental strength as well as his strength, stamina and his speed gave him a near mythical status in Kurdish society who were suffering oppression under Saddam Hussein rule. According to some Kurdish sources he chose that nickname because he swore that he would never shave his beard until Kurdistan was totally free from Ba'ath Party's control. He was also nicknamed the "Iron Man" for his furious and well organized battles and ambushes against the Iraqi forces near the Kirkuk area.[1]

In late 1970s, he joined the Peshmerga forces of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan led by Jalal Talabani. He is considered by most Kurds as a role model and a legendary fighter. Najmadin was killed on January 25, 1985 in an ambush set by Tahsin Shaways in cooperation with the Iraqi intelligence agency (جهاز المخابرات).

On his death, the Kurdish society in Iraq were in mourning. Sherko Bekas wrote the following poem for his death:

کوڕی بابە گوڕ گوڕ

ڕێگە چۆڵکەن هەستنە سەر پێ

وا ئەسپێکی سپی ئاڵ سور لە پێدەشتی کەرکوکەوە ئەحیلێنێ و بۆ ئێرە دێ

ئەی ئەسپەکەی تەوێڵ ماروی گەرمیانم

ئەوەی بەفرو گڕو شەپۆلی ناسیبێ

ئەوەی شمشێری بروسکەو باو بۆرانی کێوی دیبێت

تۆ ئەناسێ

ئەی ڕەشەبای لە پاشکۆدا خۆر سوار کردوو

ئەوەی جارێ گوڵاڵە سورەی چاوڕەشی ڕەحیماواو مناڵانی سەرقوچکەتاشی لەیلان و کێڵگەی برسی دووزی دیبێ

تۆ ئەناسێ

کۆبنەوەو هەستنە سەر پێ، سەر هەڵبڕن

بازێک شەڵاڵی خوێناوەو تۆزێکی تر بەمناوەدا تێ ئەپەڕێ

ڕووە و قەندیل بەسەر هەورازی شەختەدا نزم ئەفڕێ

هەتا ئەگاتە سەر لوتکە و ئەچێ لەوێ لە پەڵە خوێنی نازم دا بە هێواشی ڕائەكشێ

ڕێگە چۆڵ کەن هەستنە سەرپێ

زریان گڤەی وونکردووە و بۆی ئەگەڕێ

گەرمیان کورەی کاوەیە و جۆش دراوە

تەماشاکەن هەرچی گردۆڵکەی پێدەشتی لەش چنراوە وەکو دایکانی ووڵاتم بنچکی قژو ئەگریجە

ی گژو گیایان لە ملیاندا ئاڵۆسکاوە

مامە ڕیشە ئەی پڵنگی چنگ بە گڕی گەرمیانم

بەیتی تازەی توحفەی ئەمڕۆی کوردستانم

لە مالانی گوند بە گوندی هەڵقرچاوا

تۆ قوتیلکەی بەر هەیوانی

داسی دروێنەوە و هەتاوی سەر بانیژەی زستانانی

مانگەشەوی هێشوی ڕەزی، هاژەی چەم و ووژە ووژی دارستانی

ئاگری شوانی، وەکو باران وەکو کانی وەک دەغڵ و دان خۆشەویستی

تۆ کوڕی بابە گوڕگوڕی، داستانێکی سەدەی بیستی