The Press Office of the People’s Defense Forces (HPG) reported unbroken resistance against Turkish invasion in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).  

The HPG statement on Wednesday said, “Ending up in a deadlock in the face of the historic resistance of the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla, the Turkish state has been attacking the innocent civilian population. Suffering one blow after another at the hands of the guerrillas and seeing its occupation plans frustrated, the Turkish state tries to motivate its fascist regime by murdering our people and enhancing fascism. The people of Kurdistan, who have learned to resist and fight with Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) and the PKK, will never submit to the invaders as they have done so far. They will achieve a definite victory through resisting.”

“The Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla, whose heart beats for our people at every moment, have carried out actions to avenge our people murdered in Kifri, Shengal and Maxmur,” said the statement, providing details of the actions.

Guerrilla retaliation for the attacks in Kifri, Maxmur and Shengal

According to the HPG statement, the guerrilla actions on Tuesday were dedicated to retaliation for the Turkish attacks in Kifri, Maxmur and Shengal.

In the listed actions, a total of 16 soldiers of the Turkish army were killed, one weapons depot and four military positions were destroyed. In addition, a transport helicopter and an attack helicopter were fired upon and hit by the guerrillas. The attack on the Sikorsky helicopter at Girê Amêdî prevented an airdrop operation. The attack helicopter was on an attack flight towards the Sîda area in the Zap and had to turn around. In the Çemço area, the guerrillas also intervened against a helicopter and forced it to withdraw.

In the Xakurke region, guerrillas from YJA Star (Free Women’s Troops) destroyed a weapons depot of the Turkish occupation forces at Girê Şehîd Derwêş, and six soldiers were killed.

Attacks by the Turkish army

According to HPG information, seven attacks with chemical weapons and other warfare agents targeted the guerrilla positions in Girê Cûdî, Saca and Şikefta Birîndara areas on Tuesday. In Werxelê, the Turkish army again tried unsuccessfully to demolish the tunnel facility with construction machinery and to send dogs into the position. Girê Cûdî, Girê Amêdî and Şehîd Adil were attacked six times by helicopters, while Sîda was bombed five times by fighter jets. Dozens of other attacks on guerrilla areas were carried out with heavy weapons.

KDP’s road construction continues

The KDP continues its collaboration with the Turkish occupation forces and road construction at Girê Amêdî. According to the HPG statement, Turkish military personnel coordinated the work of the KDP forces by lighting the desired road with torches last night.

YJA Star fighter martyred in Turkish attack

On the other hand, guerrilla fighter Ronahî Devrim was martyred in an air attack by the Turkish army during the retreat after a successful action against the occupying forces at Girê Amêdî.

Nom de Guerre: Ronahî Devrim First-Last Name: Berfîn Serhatlı Birthplace: Van Mother's-Father's Name: Fatma – Ferhat Date and Place of Martyrdom : 26 August 2022 / Medya Defense Zones

"On 26 August, our mobile units carried out a coordinated guerrilla action against the occupiers at Girê Şehîd Pîrdoxan in the Girê Amêdî resistance area at 9.35pm. The first action group infiltrated the enemy positions and attacked with hand grenades and semi-automatic weapons. Three positions were destroyed and eight occupants were punished. The second action group destroyed another position, where two occupants were punished with semi-automatic weapons and precision rifles and two others were wounded. While retreating from this successful action, our units were bombed from the air. In this attack, our companion Ronahî Devrim fell as a martyr," the statement said.

Ronahî Devrim was born in the Erciş district of Van. Many of her relatives have joined the guerrilla struggle. Ronahî was active in the Kurdish youth movement for a while. When ISIS attacked Shengal and Rojava, she decided to join the armed struggle. In 2015, she joined the guerrillas in Doğubayazıt. She stayed in the Tendürek area for a short time and then moved to the Medya Defense Zones for basic training. Since, unlike most of the other new fighters, she had already gained her first experience of guerrilla life in Northern Kurdistan, she was able to help others settle in. Afterwards, she spent three years in Heftanîn and showed a great sense of responsibility for all details of life and struggle. She furthered her ideological and military education and completed a training course at the Şehîd Berîtan Academy and other specialised training in modern guerrilla tactics. She then spent two years training other fighters as the commander of the YJA Star. Later, she took on central tasks that required great trust in her.

In 2021, she moved to Avaşîn and resisted the Turkish invasion. She played a leading role in the development of guerrilla warfare in small mobile groups. Together with her fellow fighters, she was instrumental in stopping the Turkish troops and pinning them down on the occupied peaks. She continued this struggle until the last moment of her life.

HPG expressed their condolences to the relatives of Ronahî Devrim, the people of Erciş and the people of Kurdistan and vowed that the struggle of the martyrs would continue.