 The rebellion in the north (Iraqi Kurdistan) erupted on March 5 in the town of Rania.Within 10 days, the Kurdish nationalist (Peshmerga), Islamist (Islamic Movement of Kurdistan), and communist (from the ICP and the Communist Party of Kurdistan; the Kurdistan Workers' Party was also active to some extent) rebels, joined by tens of thousands of defecting militiamen and army deserters (reportedly, there were more than 50,000 of them throughout the region), took control of every city in the north except Kirkuk (which eventually fell to them on March 20) and Mosul.Entire units surrendered without much or any resistance, including the whole 24th Division which did not fire a single bullet.