After the devastating losses in the Battle of Elih and the Battle of Amed, the Kurdish nation found itself reeling, its once proud territory now largely under the control of the merciless Zuhak. The cities of Dersim and the strategic holding of Van Lake had fallen, and over 95% of Bakur was firmly in Zuhak’s grasp. Only the mighty mountain range separating Bakur from Rojava and Bashur remained a formidable barrier to the invaders, thanks to King Kardox’s meticulous defenses. During what seemed like an unofficial respite in the war, many Kurds believed that Zuhak was regrouping and resting, given the months of relative calm on the northern front. However, an unforeseen and devastating surprise was about to befall Kurdistan—a two-front war that would test the nation’s resolve like never before. Unbeknownst to the Kurdish defenders, Zuhak had secretly set his next plan into motion. He had marshaled a formidable force of Arabic warriors numbering in the hundreds of thousands, who had marched from the south through the unforgiving Arabian Deserts toward the Gateway of Kurdistan. Their first target: the city of Duhok.

Before reaching Duhok, Zuhak’s forces passed through countless villages along their path. These villages were filled with unsuspecting civilians who had received no warning of the impending doom, as the Kurdish armies had been focused on the northern border. The Arabian knights and camel riders descended upon these settlements with brutal efficiency, unleashing unspeakable horrors. The throats of children, women, fathers, and brothers were mercilessly slit, and many thousands of innocent lives were cruelly extinguished. At the same time, in the north, the forces of Zuhak noticed the partial withdrawal of the Kurdish defences in the mountain range, which had been ordered to reinforce the south. Sensing an opportunity, Zuhak’s northern armies launched a massive surprise attack. Trebuchets hurled massive stones at the mighty walls, and arrows filled the sky like a dark cloud. The defenders were caught off guard, and the king and his closest advisors were left reeling.

The First War of Kurdistan and Zuhak had come to an unexpected end, only to be replaced by the chaos of the Two Front War. The Kurdish nation found itself caught between relentless assaults from the north and the brutal massacres perpetrated by Zuhak’s forces in the south. King Kardox, a symbol of Kurdish resilience, faced the greatest challenge of his reign. The survival of Kurdistan hung in the balance, and the defenders knew that they had no choice but to fight with every ounce of their strength and determination. The mountains that had once protected their homeland were now both a sanctuary and a prison, and the fate of the Kurdish people rested on their ability to withstand the dual onslaught and emerge victorious.