The Press Centre of the People's Defence Forces (HPG) released a statement providing the latest information from the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) where the Turkish army has been conducting an occupation operation since April 17.

In the Metîna region of Medya Defense Zones, eight members of the Turkish army were killed in actions by guerrillas. Three other soldiers were killed in a guerrilla action in Northern Kurdistan.

In addition to details on the actions, the HPG statement also provided information on air and ground attacks by the Turkish army as well as chemical weapons deployments against guerrilla areas.

Actions against occupiers in southern Kurdistan

At Girê Ortê, a group of soldiers was targeted by mobile units of the Free Women's Troops (YJA Star) on 9 June. The women guerrillas fired at the occupiers with light and medium weapons, killing four of them and wounding five others.

At Girê FM, two soldiers were shot at close range on 10 June. The soldiers had tried to approach the underground tunnels of the guerrillas. Later in the day, the occupation troops who arrived for evacuation were also targeted by guerrillas, leaving one soldier dead. A fourth soldier was fatally shot in a sniper action. Late in the evening, an airdropping attempt by the Turkish army was prevented in the vicinity of the resistance area at Girê Cûdî.

Guerrilla action in Besta

Regarding the guerrilla action in the Besta region in Şırnak, HPG said: "On 31 May, occupiers moving between the villages of Osyan and Aqîr were targeted by our forces. A sabotage action had been carried out the night before to warn the village guards taking part in the occupation operations. At 13:00, several Turkish soldiers who approached the blast site were targeted by guerrillas with sabotage tactics, and three were killed, including a bomb disposal expert, while another was seriously injured. The action was carried out within the framework of the 'Revolutionary Offensive in Memory of Şehîd Şervan and Şehîd Diljîn' as an act of retaliation for our comrades who fell in the region. Our forces are carrying out their actions in Besta with special effort so as not to endanger the village guards. However, we draw attention to a warning from our central headquarters and again call on the village guards not to take part in the operations against the guerrillas."

Dozens of air strikes and attacks with chemical weapons

Between 9 and 11 June, at least 25 more chemical weapons strikes combined with explosives have been recorded in different regions of the Medya Defense Zones. According to HPG information, these attacks were directed against guerrilla positions and tunnel facilities in Metîna and the Zap. Smoke containing toxic substances was piped into the underground positions "Şehîd Akîf" at Girê Hekarî. In the same period, the affected areas were bombed 42 times by fighter jets and helicopters. A wildfire has been ignited at Girê FM, and the Turkish army is having trees cleared. HPG also reported intensive aerial surveillance, stating that Turkish army drones are in constant use over the Medya Defense Zones.