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BATTLE // December 7, 1981

Operation Tariq al-Qods

Overview

The Liberation of Bostan, that codenamed Operation Tariq al-Quds was a military operation launched by Iran during the Iran–Iraq War to free Bostan in the Khuzestan province. It was fought from 29 November to 7 December 1981 and was carried out jointly by the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

Operation Tariq al-Qods was an Iranian offensive launched to recapture Bostan in Khuzestan province from Iraqi forces during the Iran–Iraq War. Fought over roughly ten days in late November and early December 1981, the operation was conducted jointly by the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reflecting the increasingly coordinated role of the IRGC alongside conventional military units in Iranian offensive planning. Khuzestan was a central theater of the war, and the recovery of populated areas in the province carried both strategic and symbolic weight for Iran as it sought to reverse the Iraqi territorial gains made following the 1980 invasion. Casualties on both sides were significant relative to the force sizes committed, indicating the intensity of the fighting, though the ultimate operational outcome is not recorded in available sources.

Forces & casualties

Troop strength

  • Iran20,000
    medium

Casualties

  • Iraq1,500–2,500
    medium
  • Iran2,500–6,000
    medium21% loss rate

Commanders (5)

Iran

Iraq

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6 sibling battles · 5 factions

Last verified May 2026
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