The Press Office of People’s Defense Forces (HPG) released a statement announcing the details of extensive actions carried out by guerrillas in Omeryan region in the countryside of Mardin province.

The statement includes the following;

“On August 23, the Turkish army started an invasion operation led by contras in the countryside of Mardin’s Savur district. Fierce clashes erupted between our forces and the occupation forces during the operation and many enemy soldiers were killed. 5 of our comrades fell as martyrs whilst giving a heroic fight against the enemy. The identities of the fallen comrades will be announced to the public later on.

5 SOLDIERS KILLED

The Turkish army forces have been engaged in ambush activities with the support of secret units in Mardin’s Omeryan area for some time. Our forces put an enemy unit on ambush in Xırbê Mırişka and Mehsertê areas under surveillance, and targeted this unit in sabotage tactics at 01:30 on September 4. The enemy unit was hit by intense fire at close range. Effective strikes left 5 enemy soldiers dead and 5 others wounded. The guerrilla unit involved returned to their base safely.

PÖH BRANCH DIRECTOR ALSO KILLED

On September 7, the scope of the operation in Omeryan area was extended with the participation of numerous soldiers, contras and special operations police (PÖH). After some time of surveillance, our forces struck effectively a 60-strong unit at close range.

During the fighting between the operational units and our forces, which lasted two hours, at least 2 contras and 8 PÖH members were killed, including Mardin PÖH Branch Director Tufan Kansuva, while many others were wounded. Following the action, the Turkish army removed the dead and wounded soldiers in Sikorsky helicopters and civilian cars.

Sporadic clashes between our forces and the invasion forces continued till September 8 when, at noon, clashes intensified and more enemy soldiers were killed. Three of our comrades who fought in spirit of self-sacrificing resistance and made the enemy suffer heavy losses, were martyred during the operation. Their identities will be announced to the public later on.

The operation launched by the occupation forces in Omeryan area has been confronted with the resistance developed by our forces, and the enemy has suffered heavy losses. Through different tactics of action, the occupation army was defeated and the psychological campaign developed by the fascist Turkish state has been totally frustrated. The blows inflicted by the guerrilla against the enemy have exposed the whole reality of war and all their lies.

Mardin PÖH Branch Director Tufan Kansuva, who has been killed in Omeryan area, had a part in the massacres perpetrated by the invaders in Kurdistan. This person, who has on his hands the blood of women, children and young people killed in Nusaybin urban resistance, has been killed by our forces and our massacred people have been avenged.

SABOTAGE ACTION IN HAKKARI

As part of the Martyr Bager and Martyr Ronya Revolutionary Campaign, our forces carried out a sabotage action targeting a vehicle of the Turkish forces on move in the countryside of Hakkari’s Şemdinli (Şemzinan) district at 09:00 on September 12. While the vehicle was destroyed together with all the soldiers in it, two enemy soldiers in the surroundings were heavily wounded. Following the action, the Turkish army bombed the area with heavy weapons and managed to remove the wreckage only in the evening. The guerrilla unit that carried out the action returned to their base safely.

OPERATION IN ÇUKURCA

On September 11, the Turkish invasion army launched an invasion operation in the Kinyaniş area in Hakkari’s Çukurca (Çele) district. The operation continues in the form of ambush in the vicinities of the Martyr Reber area and Hill Martyr Piling.

BOMBARDMENT IN HEFTANİN

At around 12:00 on September 12, the Turkish invasion army bombed the Martyr Ahmet Rapo valley in Heftanin region of Medya Defense Zones in South Kurdistan. These bombardments did not result in any loss in our ranks.”