The Executive Committee of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) issued a statement to mark the beginning of the armed struggle 36 years ago.

According to the PKK, 'the first bullet' against the occupation regime on 15 August 1984, stopped the process of making the Kurdish people disappear from the face of the earth. Without the offensive at that time, neither the women's revolution nor the Rojava revolution would have been possible. Today this fight continues in Heftanîn.

"We wish success to all freedom struggles"

The PKK said: “We commemorate the anniversary of the revolutionary guerrilla attack by the PKK under the leadership of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] on 15 August 1984 when our heroic guerrillas inflicted heavy blows on the fascist and genocidal forces. As a movement and as a people, the 37th year of the struggle begins on 15 August. It is the year of Kurdish liberation, resistance, rebirth, new victory. We are celebrating this anniversary by increasing the revolutionary people's war that has arisen from the resistance of both the guerrillas and the people.”

The disappearance of the Kurdish identity was stopped

The statement continued: “The actions of 15 August 1984 in Eruh and Şemdinli represent a turning point in the history of Kurdistan. The threat of national disappearance under fascist, colonial and genocidal aggression was stopped thanks to the resistance of the guerrillas and the people. The time of Kurdish existence and freedom began. The guerrilla attack 36 years ago was a deadly bullet against all forms of slavery and marked the beginning of a free life and a democratic way of existence in Kurdistan. Within this 36-year struggle a people has been created that is in love with freedom, aware, organized, extremely courageous and ready to make sacrifices. A people who fights for freedom.”

Keeping the hope of freedom alive

The liberation struggle that has been carried out since 15 August 1984 has been very difficult and meant great sacrifices, said the PKK. At the same time, great gains were achieved, especially in the north, west and south (of Kurdistan): "And what is even more important: An invincible resistance has emerged that keeps the hope of freedom alive."

With the beginning of the armed struggle, a “national renaissance” took place: “The women's liberation revolution began, the way for the existence status has been cleared in South Kurdistan, the Rojava Revolution gives humanity hope. These are undoubtedly the greatest developments and the most significant achievements reached."

Attack on social dignity

The statement said that the PKK, the Kurdish people and their friends are successfully continuing their struggle in the spirit of the advance on 15 August. Today's enemy is the fascist AKP / MHP coalition which, as a rapist regime, is committing genocide in Kurdistan and driving fascist oppression, terror and exploitation to extremes in Turkey. “Never in the history of the republic have the peoples of Kurdistan and Turkey have to experience so much abuse, oppression, exploitation, humiliation and reign of terror. AKP / MHP fascism attacks children, women and all parts of society. It targets social values ​​and insists on rape and massacre. With the destruction of social dignity, it wants to destroy society. What the coup of 12 September 1980 wanted to achieve is being imposed on the peoples of Kurdistan and all of Turkey by the current regime.”

From 'the first bullet' to the fight in Heftanîn

The statement added: “When the tyranny in one place increases so much, so does the struggle for freedom and democracy against it. Against the sophisticated war launched by the AKP / MHP fascism, a massive resistance of the peoples of Kurdistan and Turkey arises under the leadership of the PKK and HBDH according to the strategy of the revolutionary people's war. The line of the revolutionary advance of 15 August has already defeated the fascist military regime of 12 September [1980] and is doing the same today with AKP / MHP fascism. From 'the first bullet' to the Heftanîn war, the guerrilla fight continues to be the hope of all the oppressed people for liberation and victory. From the actions in Eruh and Şemdinli to the wars in Serhed, Afrin, Xakurke and Heftanîn and the resistance from Van to Istanbul and the Aegean Sea, the struggle for freedom and democracy continues everywhere."

Smash fascism

On the 36th anniversary of the 15 August offensive, the PKK said: “Above all the guerrillas will resist, self-defense will resist, women and youth will resist, democratic politics will resist, the resistance will come from Kurdistan and spread to Turkey and the Middle East. The fight that arose in the spirit of 15 August will deal fatal blows to AKP / MHP fascism and will smash it.

This will be a year in which the struggle for freedom and democracy will be victorious.”