Iraqi government documents dating from 16 March 1988 to several weeks later refer to "a firm escalation of military might and cruelty Halabja," "the bombing by our planes and our artillery on the area of Halabja and Khurmal, approximately 2,000 enemy forces of the Persians and Iranian agents [the PUK," the "recent attack on Halabja with "special" ammunition," and, in one case, explicitly refer to "the Iraqi chemical attack on Halabja." An Iraqi pilot explained in 2003 that the attack was motivated, in part, by the Iraqi perception that Kurdish collaboration with invading Iranian soldiers constituted "high treason."