Fedai guerrillas (fighters willing to make sacrifices, who also accept death in order to achieve their goal) completed their training on 15 August and celebrated the beginning of the armed struggle of the Kurdish freedom movement 39 years ago.
In the guerrilla-held Medya Defence Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq), a training for fedai guerrillas ended on 15 August. In the Kurdish liberation movement, the term Fedai stands for people who are willing to sacrifice their lives for their goals.
A military ceremony was held at the end of the training and the beginning of the armed struggle of the Kurdish freedom movement 39 years ago was celebrated.
In a speech at the graduation ceremony of the training, 15 August 19984 was called the day of resurrection of the Kurdish people. The commander congratulated Abdullah Öcalan, the people of Kurdistan and all those fighting for freedom on this day and said: "On behalf of all the Fedai of Rêber Apo [Leader Öcalan], we also congratulate the freedom guerrilla of Kurdistan who are fighting a war of to be or not to be in the Kurdish mountains against the fascism of the occupiers. As we know, the road to the present time has not been easy. As a movement, we have paid a high price. On this occasion, we respectfully remember our great commander Egîd [Mahsum Korkmaz], Fazil Botan, Leyla Sorxwîn, Norşîn Efrîn and Delîl Zagros, and all the commanders who made our freedom struggle grow with their blood."
The speech continued: "In the history of our party, the PKK, hope has always played a big role in the resistance and for a dignified life. The enemy has been attacking the guerrilla areas for eight years with NATO's war technology. It wants to occupy all the areas from Botan to Serhed and Xakurke to Zap and complete the genocide of the Kurds that started with the Treaty of Lausanne a hundred years ago. As Rêber Apo's professional guerrillas, we have made the enemy attacks come to nothing with our current tactics of small units in the field and tunnel warfare. Concrete examples of this struggle are the resistance in the Şehîd Doğan and Şehîd Munzur war tunnels. The successful actions carried out every day against the fascist army at Girê Cûdî also show the defeat of the enemy. Rêber Apo has been waging a worldwide unparalleled struggle against the system of torture and isolation on Imrali for over 24 years. This struggle is the source of strength of the guerrillas. The fascist government of Erdoğan and Bahçeli should know that we, as sacrificial guerrillas, will fight for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo at any cost."
After the ceremony, the guerrillas left for their new areas of operation.
