Battle of Sauj Bulak (1921)

The Battle of Savuj Bulagh or Simko Shikak raid on Mahabad was a major engagement during Simko Shikak revolt (1918–1922) against the Qajar government in Iran. It took place in October 1921 near present-day Mahabad, a strategic town in northwestern Iran west of Lake Urmia. During this confrontation, Simko Shikak and his Kurdish forces launched an offensive to capture Savuj Bulagh, achieving a decisive victory by defeating Iranian government troops. The battle resulted in heavy losses for the opposing forces, including the death of Major Malakzadeh and approximately 600 Iranian gendarmes. Government forces and non-Kurds were not the only ones to suffer in the attack; but the Kurdish population was also robbed and assaulted—Simko’s men do not appear to have felt any sense of unity or solidarity with fellow Kurds.