PKK Executive Committee Member Duran Kalkan spoke about the international campaign demanding freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, and the invasion attacks carried out by Turkey against South Kurdistan. 

The agenda is busy, there are a lot of developments. Let’s start with the isolation and the struggle against isolation that gives this agenda its main character.

First of all, I greet Rêber Apo with respect. I greet everyone who is fighting for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] on the basis of our global freedom campaign. I wish them success.

The Kurdish question lies at the heart of everything. To understand the Kurdish issue, one must consider the seriousness of the torture, isolation, and genocide taking place on Imrali Island. Rêber Apo is being held under such harsh conditions; the circles that fuel the Kurdish conflict are terrified that even a word from Rêber Apo would be leaked. In this sense, isolation, torture, and genocide persist. Of course, the campaign against this continues. We have already determined that everything will be achieved through an uninterrupted struggle. This struggle is evolving, acquiring dimension. In this sense, there is a significant legal and popular movement against isolation. The guerrillas are also representing a historical struggle.

As a movement, as a people, and as all of our revolutionary, democratic, and left-wing socialist allies, we are fighting for Rêber Apo’s liberation physically and a resolution to the Kurdish issue. The legal aspect of this conflict is also growing.

As previously indicated, the Imrali system has no legal basis. It has flaws in all areas, but the legal element is the most lacking. This is becoming increasingly clear. In terms of the legal struggle against the Imrali system, certain information has been disclosed through the pressure of many circles, but particularly the legal community. The Paris Bar Association has taken initiative, the United Nations Human Rights Committee has issued a call for the freedom of Rêber Apo. But lawyers also provided the world with vital information concerning the CPT after we wanted to understand the situation better. The lawyers revealed that Azerbaijan has intervened. The information about Rêber Apo, which the CPT so adamantly claimed it cannot reveal due to legal issues, was discussed by the CPT with Azerbaijan. In this regard, the approach of the CPT, and hence the Council of Europe, is critical. Rather than pursuing a legal approach, they are pursuing a political approach.

Moreover, the lawyers explained, that since 2012, the decisions of the ECHR have not been implemented. So, the ECHR will become entangled in torture before it enforces its own rulings. The institutions responsible for the ECHR are not enforcing. In other words, the source of such reckless behavior by the fascist and genocidal AKP-MHP come from deliberate omission. The so-called international democratic and European human rights institutions, are not fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. They are acting neither legally nor democratically. They are not acting humanitarian. They are engaging in self-interested political behavior. Therefore, they are complicit in this crime.

The widespread opposition to this is becoming increasingly important. The struggle is growing in every field, and it is spreading worldwide. Undoubtedly, this struggle needs to be expanded, extended, and broadened. The popular campaign for Rêber Apo’s physical liberation must never be compromised. It cannot be eliminated. On the contrary, it must be continually enhanced and widened.

Of course, there are numerous problems being faced by people. Women, youth, workers, and laborers across the world all face issues. There are economic, political, democratic, and human rights issues. These are being confronted over. However, these problems are intertwined. A struggle against AKP-MHP fascism is necessary, particularly in Turkey. It is vital to establish antifascist efforts based on a variety of issues, but these fights must be centered around the struggle for Rêber Apo’s physical freedom. As a result, these issues cannot be segregated from one another. The root to all freedom problems is the freedom problem of Rêber Apo. Because everyone’s freedom and democratic governance depends on the struggle for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. The freedom and democracy of the Kurdish and Turkish people, women, youth, and humanity depend on the demolition of the torture, isolation, and genocide system in Imrali, and consequentially Rêber Apo’s physical release.

Rêber Apo once said: “If I hadn’t been able to completely integrate my life with the existence and independence of the Kurdish people, I wouldn’t have been able to precisely grasp and address the difficulties, nor would I have been able to work as successfully.” Now, as Kurds, women, youth, and all peoples, we must fully merge our lives with the principles of freedom and democracy in the global campaign for Rêber Apo’s physical freedom. This is the way to success. This is undoubtedly the path to freedom and democracy. In this regard, all fights for freedom and democracy must include Rêber Apo’s physical liberation as a primary goal. We should all pay heed to this. We should not divide our forces or opportunities.

Everyone is struggling. There is a fight among youth. Young people are taking meaningful action, particularly abroad and recently in Paris. Of course, they should. The struggle for Rêber Apo’s physical freedom should be the primary priority of Kurdish youth, as well as youth throughout the region and around the world who are influenced by the paradigm of Rêber Apo.

The youth must be in a constant state of struggle because there is no other choice. Existence, freedom struggle, and prosperity cannot be achieved in any other way. In this regard, Kurdish youth, in particular, should be at the forefront of this resistance, and they are. They should also resolve the problems being faced in all parts of Kurdistan and around the world, but at the heart of these struggles is the struggle for Rêber Apo’s physical liberation. Because the existence of the Imrali system of torture, isolation, and genocide fosters the growth of this fascist, imperialist, genocidal mentality and politics that underlies all issues. The problem which underlies all problems is the torture and isolation being faced by Rêber Apo, it is the Kurdish problem. The problem is that genocide is being inflicted upon the Kurds, the problem is the lack of compliance on resolving the Kurdish question. For this reason, the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and the solution of the Kurdish question are like flesh and blood. Because the Kurdish youth are at the forefront of such a struggle, they must develop and broaden their actions in all areas within the framework of our global freedom campaign. They must also lead the struggles of all oppressed societies, and workers.

The war has intensified in the Medya Defense Zones, all eyes are on the regions of Zap and Metina. In Northern Kurdistan, we have also seen guerrilla activity increase in June. How can this be evaluated?

Yes, first and foremost, I commemorate with love and gratitude all of our fallen comrades, particularly the comrades Shexmus, Beritan, and Brusk, who were martyred in the resistance in the North. Indeed, it is crucial to comprehend them correctly and protect their memories.

This is not an ordinary struggle. Developing such a resistance in the North, under today’s conditions, has a different meaning. In this context, actions have taken place from Avashin to Gever in Zagros. There were clashes in Botan. Clashes broke out in Gabar and Mawa. Clashes broke out in Merdin’s Kerboran area. There is conflict in the Serhat region. With spring and summer approaching, the fascist AKP-MHP began operations in all areas. In other words, the entirety of the North is a battle zone. On the other hand, there is resistance in the cities. HBDH militias fight almost daily. Also the YPS militants are fighting.

In the North, an antifascist, united battle is brewing, and our united revolutionary struggle is taking shape in the North through guerrilla and militia actions. This is a novel and significant scenario, which is substantial when compared to the previous 1-2 years. It is crucial to comprehend this right. Of course, it needs to be developed and spread more. In this regard, I commend everyone who is resisting and striving. I applaud their efforts and resistance. We need to strengthen it more.

To successfully conduct the war against AKP fascism and accomplish results, it is 

critical that we engage in the language that they understand.

In this respect, we must turn all areas of the North and Turkey – from mountains, plains, and cities – into zones of antifascist battle and resistance.

We must understand how to confront fascist terror with revolutionary violence. If this does not occur, that is, if they are not held accountable for their conduct, if every attack is not retaliated against, it will be impossible to break fascism, halt fascist aggression, and unite the people. In this regard, particularly the revolutionary democratic forces, the left socialist forces, must radicalize and strengthen their struggle. This is what the current guerrilla and militia activities entail and progress to. HBDH has actually reached a significant level. In reality, it must be far more advanced and powerful, but this is a separate issue. The progress which has been made by the HBDH is quite significant. We must strengthen this further.

New attacks are to be developed against the Zap and Metina regions. What is the information about this invasion supported by the KDP and Iraq? What is the latest situation in the area?

On July 3rd, they were some developments. Our co-presidency has already shared the details and our standpoint on the war in Zap, Metina, and across the Medya Defense Zones. Every day, the relevant HPG structures release information to the public. As a result, the general public is becoming more aware of the current situation. Aside from that, this is what’s new: the Turkish Republic’s armored troops, tanks, and vehicles have easily transported across Iraqi and KDP-controlled routes and have established themselves in several locations. They have established new positions. On this premise, they want to carry out occupation attacks. The Iraqi government is complicit in this seeing that it has made no objections. The KDP already supports and actively helps in practice, evacuating its own positions for the Turkish army.

In other words, the Turkish army and Turkish troops have established positions in many places. This was decided upon in Baghdad with the visit of Masoud Barzani. After gaining Baghdad’s approval, these Turkish troops were transported on the night of July 3.

These invasion attacks are not new. On August 26, 2016, the Turkish army launched invasion attacks against Syria from Jarabulus and against Iraq from Cukurca, crossing the border. Almost 9 years have passed. Despite a 9-year war, this situation is re-emerging. During the day of the attack in 2016, Masoud Barzani was in Ankara with the same mentality that he was in Baghdad on July 3. They decided together, they gave orders together. Masoud Barzani’s name is signed under the invasion and annexation attacks against Kurdistan, more than anyone else. He works more than anyone else to achieve this. In other words, his signature is under all the dirty work.

So, these current attacks are nothing new, the attack on the basis of occupation gained a different level in 2020, 2021, 2022. Most recently, on April 16, 2024, AKP-MHP fascism launched a new attack on the Metina region. Our headquarters explained this: it is a piecemeal occupation attempt which means holding empty positions and extending to new places step by step like this. Like this, they try to enter many areas of Metina.

Since July 3, tanks and armored troops have been moving by land, over the asphalt roads of Bamerne, Enishke, Qadishe, Amediye, Dereluk and Sheladize. They have arrived and are trying to hold the Sergele and Dereluk line which accounts to the valley of Zap. They want to encircle the entire Metina and West Zap area from the south, via armored troops. On the other hand, they are carrying out air strikes. They are trying to deploy soldiers from air to establish positions on especially Bahar Hill in Zap and other hills in Metina.

Previously, a military attack entailed striking and deploying from the air while advancing on the ground by clearing a passage through the terrain. The Turkish army attempted this for years, even entering some areas, but was unsuccessful. This failed to yield results. For example, it has been trying to occupy a hill for three years now. Although it attacked so much, it suffered many blows from the guerrilla and faltered. The Turkish army has realized that this method is fruitless. Now, as a result of the diplomacy and negotiations being conducted with the KDP and Iraqi state since winter, the Turkish state wants to achieve results by entering these areas with armored troops to be able to occupy them.

In other words, they want to occupy the places they cannot occupy, enter the places they cannot enter, and break the guerrilla resistance. For this, they have even established check points. Everything there, including the administration, is gradually falling into the hands of the Turkish Republic. The Turkish army is scattered across the border. The north of this entire area is de facto under the administration of the Turkish state. Annexation is being developed de facto in these areas where neither the KDP nor the Iraqi government have much power left. This has been labeled by some as “annexation,” which is correct. Under the name of a buffer zone, the Turkish, Iraqi, and KDP administrations were to conduct joint patrols in the area 20 kilometers inwards of the Iraq-Turkey borders. In some places, this ‘buffer zone’ has been trespassed by a further 20 kilometers. In other words, they have sold off land to the Turkish state under the legal guise of a buffer zone. The Iraqi government had disclosed that the agreements it has reached with the Turkish state were purely economical, which is true in some aspects. They were conducting the sale of land rather than that of goods. The KDP is already a servant. There is no other way to put how it is acting.

Thus, a large region of Southern Kurdistan has been sold off to the Turkish Republic. Everyone needs to know this. The world public opinion, the people of the South, and of Iraq must see this. As of July 3, this has been officially approved. This is what the Iraqi and KDP administrations decided on July 3. On this basis, they are evacuating villages and bombarding them non-stop. They are evacuating villages in Metina, Berwari, all of them. Thus, the areas of Xakurke, Avashin, Zap, Metina, and Heftanin are completely under the military and administrative control of the Turkish Republic which wants to displace society from there. The Turkish state has been burning and destroying villages to achieve this, already having destroyed hundreds of villages. Now it is trying to drive people away by bombarding them every day, using forbidden weapons and terrorizing them. This is the current situation. The question is whether the Turkish state can hold this up.

This is what the Turkish state wants, it is what Iraq and the KDP have accepted. But they have overlooked the great resistance of the guerrilla against this. There are clashes and actions every day. There are 10-15 actions a day. The Turkish state is trying to get hold of new positions, namely Bahar Hill. The press also disclosed that the Turkish army have deployed a small force in another place. Helicopters are being shot down, they can’t land. So, there is resistance. What will be the attitude of the public? The outcome will be determined by the resistance of the guerrilla, the attitude of the people of the South and Iraq.

In terms of the buffer zone, Erdogan initially demanded 40 kilometers, he wanted to extend it to that level. This was part of the negotiations during the winter. Devlet Bahceli, on the other hand, says he will take all of Mosul and Kirkuk, he officially disclosed this. Both the people of the South and the people of Iraq need to know and see this. But it seems that, so far, that the Turkish state has not been able to find the strength or the means to carry out such an attack. They do not believe they will succeed. Erdogan had declared that by the summer of 2024, they would eliminate the PKK in Iraq. Here we are in the middle of the summer, and he is still struggling to land on a few hills and occupy them. In fact, they had vowed to attack many parts of the Media Defense Areas. He couldn’t do it; he couldn’t find the strength. We need to understand, firstly, that the Turkish Republic could not achieve that which it had planned for 2024. The current attacks are a speck of that which they had plan.

Secondly, what started on July 3rd is indeed annexation, a de facto annexation is developing. In other words, the administration and governance in a large area is being passed into the hands of the Turkish Republic under the name of a buffer zone. Thirdly, it is unclear what the outcome will be in this area. It has been unsuccessful with this ambitious method of occupying the land through the ground and deploying from the air.

Now, how much power could these armored troops possibly bring to this failing scenario? Of course, that remains to be seen. So, we need to see the strength and success of the resistance of the guerrilla. The revolutionary operations last winter really dealt the enemy a crushing blow. This can be clearly seen. On this basis, I would like to add the following:

First of all, I greet with all due respect and love the guerrillas who are heroically resisting on Bahar Hill, all the hills of Delil, western Zap and all of Metina. We will resist, everyone should know this. The guerrilla will resist. The guerrilla and the patriotic Kurdish people will resist to the end against the occupation of Kurdistan and genocidal attacks against Kurdish freedom. How the collaborators and traitors do, is up to them. Of course there will be a struggle against them too. But the patriotic people and the Kurdistan freedom guerrilla will resist regardless.

On the ground, the war continues as such. The Turkish army has armored troops, special forces, elite forces. In some areas, they are deploying ISIS mercenaries that they bring down to attack the people. In reality, the AKP-MHP has mobilized various ISIS ad KDP groups and mercenaries in these areas after having used these forces in Syria and other places. Now, in the South, these same gangs are present, they carry out attacks. They are the ones waging the war. The unsatisfied Turkish state also wants to bring in village guards to the conflict.

What can we say? Our Central Headquarters Command has warned these village guards, we agree. They should stop acting crazy, otherwise they will pay the price dearly. No one should be a tool of such a sinister, evil, dastardly scheme. Now that the guards have been warned, when they face the consequences of their choices, we cannot be criticized.

This is definitely an important situation. On the other hand, our administration released statements regarding Iraq and the KDP. The Iraqi administration has lost the qualifications of being an administration or a state by selling lands that were supposedly under its governance to others. They did badly. Especially the Iraqi administration did badly. Only recently was it praising our fight as a movement against ISIS. We also had relations. But now, in exchange for some benefits, for some interests, for simple material interests, it jeopardized its relations with friends.

For the people of Iraq and South Kurdistan, it must be seen that the situation is really very serious. Their own lands are being destroyed before their eyes and the people are being evacuated. Should the Turkish state succeed, they will not stop at this. They have always said that they “will take” Kirkuk and Mosul. The fascist AKP-MHP has set eyes on the entire South, stretching as far as Sulaymaniyah. So, the people should be reacting more, they must struggle more. Organizations, parties, political intellectuals, artist circles, youth, women; in other words, the entire people of the South should react more strongly, influencing the Iraqi peoples.

People in all regions of Kurdistan and around the world should vigorously oppose this latest occupation attack, which has progressed to the point of annexation, particularly against the perpetrators and those who participated in and authorized it. People should react, and this is our expectation.