At least seven members of the Turkish army were killed in retaliatory actions by Kurdish guerrillas in the Botan region in the Şırnak province. This was announced by the press office of the People's Defense Forces HPG (Hêzên Parastina Gel) in a written statement on Monday. The actions were dedicated to the guerrillas who died in the course of Turkey's war of aggression in Southern Kurdistan (Northern Iraq).

"The Turkish occupation army has been carrying out extensive operations against our forces in the Botan region since autumn. Most of these offensives have been skillfully thwarted. In response to the latest operation launched in the Cudi Mountains, our mobile guerrilla units have responded with effective actions and dealt heavy blows to the occupiers," the HPG stated.

Regarding the details of the retaliatory actions in Botan, carried out by the women's guerrilla YJA Star, the statement said the following:

“On April 29, the guerrillas launched a coordinated assault from two sides against military positions at Girê Hendek, killing three Turkish soldiers. The evacuation of bodies by helicopters took place under the cover of bombardments.

Later in the day, guerrillas infiltrated a military position in Teyrê Baz. Hand grenades and light weapons were used, and two soldiers were killed. The same area was also targeted by guerrillas on April 30, this time by YJA Star snipers who killed two soldiers. The Turkish army responded with indiscriminate aerial and ground shelling. The operation was ended before the end of the evening.

Resistance to invasion in southern Kurdistan

Resistance to the Turkish invasion of the Zap and Avaşîn regions in southern Kurdistan continues unabated. The Turkish army is increasingly resorting to the use of chemical warfare agents due to unsuccessful attempts to capture the guerrillas' defensive positions. Nevertheless, the will to stand against the war of aggression remains unbroken. This is once again evident in the results of the actions.

Actions in Avaşîn

In Avaşîn, the expansion efforts of the Turkish occupation forces continue to focus on the Werxelê area. Here, snipers initially carried out coordinated action against a group of soldiers moving in the area on Sunday night, killing two of them. The Turkish army responded with shelling by howitzers. Another action was directed against military positions, and three dugouts were hit heavily. In addition, the Turkish army was prevented from building new positions in the area. During their retreat, the occupiers put the area under intense artillery fire.

Warfare in Zap

In the region of Zap, the HPG recorded chemical weapons attacks against guerrilla positions on Girê Berxwedan on both Saturday and this Monday. It was reported to be a white substance with a bitter taste. On Kuro Jahro, YJA Star guerrillas targeted soldiers from two sides who were attempting to take hold in the perimeter of defensive positions on Girê Şehîd Harûn. During the action, one soldier was killed and another was injured.

In the nearby Kevirêkun area, four sniper actions took place on the same day. In total, four soldiers were fatally shot. Two other military personnel were shot during actions at Girê Ortê in the Karker area and in Werxelê.

Further attacks by the Turkish army

The overview of Turkish airstrikes in southern Kurdistan shows that a total of eleven bombardments were carried out against the areas of Girê Cûdî, Çemço and Saca in Zap on Sunday. At the same time, shells were reportedly fired from Turkish border posts in the affected areas. In Metîna, the Girê Hakkarî was hit by Turkish Air Force fighter jets. Parallel ground attacks were carried out by howitzers.