The press center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) released a statement providing the latest information on the war in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

"The guerrilla forces continue to inflict heavy blows on the occupiers by turning every part of the Avaşîn and Zap regions into resistance areas. Actions have been carried out in which the style of mobile guerrilla warfare has been effectively used and various tactics have been skillfully intertwined. The initiative and control in the resistance areas lie with our forces. The occupiers are suffering one attack after another," said the HPG statement released on Saturday.

HPG reported that there were no casualties in their ranks during yesterday's actions. On th other hand, the Turkish army suffered another bitter defeat: 29 dead soldiers, ten wounded, two damaged attack helicopters, one hit transport helicopter, one shot down drone, according to the figures of the HPG.

Details of the actions were listed in the statement as follows:

Avaşîn region

The Werxelê resistance area remains the focus of occupation forces. The guerrillas responded to an attempted advance with a coordinated action by their mobile units from four sides. The first wing lashed out with hand grenades; two soldiers died and another was injured.

The second wing shelled the occupiers with heavy weapons. The HPG could not verify exactly how many of the soldiers were injured in the action but stated that the Turkish forces evaded the fight by fleeing and scattering in the terrain.

The third wing with guerrilla sniper units targeted the wounded soldiers, killing four of them.

The fourth wing advanced against the occupation forces' defensive line, targeting the machine gun position. The soldier operating the machine gun was killed. In addition, a drone flying over the area was shot down.

Later in the day, the combat area was initially subjected to heavy shelling by the Turkish Air Force before the dead soldiers were evacuated. The HPG also said that the defenses in Werxelê were attacked several times throughout the day by the Turkish army with explosives and chemical weapons. These attacks were followed by indiscriminate bombardments by fighter jets.

Zap region

In the region of Zap, the invading forces moving toward Girê Şehîd Cûdî were targeted by a guerrilla action the previous day. A soldier searching the area with a tactical metal detector was hit in a targeted attack and killed. The occupying forces who then moved in to evacuate were struck with small arms, as a result of which one soldier was killed and another injured. "The bodies remain be in the battle zone. The clashes between our forces and the invaders continue," HPG explained.

The occupation forces at Kuro Jahro came under fire with heavy weapons, and one soldier was killed. The guerrillas also struck the Turkish forces in a similar manner at Girê Ortê. How many soldiers were wounded or killed here could not be determined with certainty.

Another guerrilla action took place in the Şehîd Şahîn area, directed against military units that attempted to approach the guerrillas' defensive positions in Şehîd Berxwedan. In the course of the action, which was carried out using small and medium-weight arms, four soldiers were shot dead. Two more soldiers were targeted when airdropped troops were to be lowered into the battle area at about the same time. Three soldiers were shot in the Şehîd-Hewrê area as they moved toward guerrilla positions. The number of occupiers who went out in support and were also shot is equally three, while six others were injured. "In the course of these activities, the invaders had to retreat a bit," HPG said.

Evacuations of dead and wounded soldiers by the Turkish Air Force later in the day were followed by attempts to install new positions and airdrop troops into the combat area. The fighters responded by means of sniper action, guerrilla sabotage and intense shelling that targeted transport and attack helicopters in addition to military units, forcing them to retreat. According to HPG data, the number of Turkish casualties here is six, and another two soldiers were injured. One Sikorsky aircraft was damaged. At Girê Rûbar, sniper units sabotaged the expansion of military positions. One of the occupiers was shot dead.

Air and ground attacks

HPG further informed that Girê Cûdî in the Zap was bombed three times by fighter jets yesterday at noon. Two combat helicopters deployed in the evening hours for attacks on the Girê Rûbar, Sirtê Kovî, Çiyareş, Girê Cehennem and Girê Şêhîd Kendal areas came under massive fire from the guerrillas and were damaged. Shortly thereafter, fighter jets attacked Girê Cûdî.

Two more air strikes were recorded in Sêdarê near Gare on Friday. The Girê Hakkarî in Metîna was initially attacked from the ground - artillery was fired from Turkish posts in the border area - before two aerial bombardments followed. In Xakurke, fighter jets carried out attacks on the Şehîd Şerîf area. Today, Saturday, two airstrikes were carried out on Girê Hakkarî and artillery attacks on Girê FM in Zap.