August 23rd 1979: Kurdish revolt grows in Iran

Kurds in Iran have ousted government troops from a large area near the Iraqi border. However, they have full control of only one town, Mahabad, the centre of Iranian Kurdistan in the north-west of the country. The revolt began last week when Kurdish tribesmen overpowered Iranian soldiers in the nearby town of Paveh. The fighting later spread to the towns of Divan Darreh, Saqqez and Mahabad which was briefly the capital of an independent Kurdish republic from 1946-7. Iran's four million Kurds have been disappointed the ousting of the Shah and the setting up of an Islamic state has not brought them more autonomy.