The Press Center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) has released a statement providing the latest information on the ongoing war in the Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan:

"The actions of our forces against the Turkish state's comprehensive occupation operation in the Avaşîn and Zap regions continue unabated. The guerrillas combined and effectively used various combat tactics such as heavy weapons, sabotage, sniper, infiltration, raid and coordinated actions during the four days of intense war. In particular, the fact that our forces are distributed throughout the terrain as mobile guerrilla units and have prevented the Turkish army from dropping occupiers from helicopters on various occasions shows the level of new-age guerrilla warfare,” said the HPG statement released on Thursday.

The statement listed numerous guerrilla actions in which -it said- 37 Turkish army soldiers were killed and another four were injured in the Zap region.

Çiyareş

April 17: In the Çiyareş resistance area, the Turkish forces conducting an airdropping operation were struck by guerrillas, killing at least two soldiers.

April 18, 7:00 a.m.: The guerrillas hit a Turkish position from close range and via sniper tactics. Five soldiers were killed, while the position and a BKC machine gun were destroyed. Three soldiers were killed in further actions by guerrillas throughout the day.

April 18, 2:40 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.: The guerrillas used sabotage tactics to counter the advance of the occupation forces, which left six soldiers dead. In the evening, one soldier was shot dead and another injured.

April 19, 1 and 2:30 p.m.: Three soldiers were killed and another injured in sabotage actions by guerrillas.

April 20, 12:20 p.m.: The occupation forces, advancing toward Girê Rûbar, were struck by mobile guerrilla units in a coordinated action from close range. Thirteen soldiers were killed and two others were wounded, while the guerrillas suffered no casualties.

Girê Cehennem, Şikefta Birîndara and Werxelê

April 17, Girê Cehennem: The guerrillas intervened in the evening hours against an airdropping operation, and the occupation forces were forced to withdraw.

April 19 and 20, Şikefta Birîndara: The occupying forces were attacked with heavy weapons, which left two soldiers dead. In two other actions, two soldiers were shot by snipers.

April 19, Werxelê: The occupation troops tried to establish a position and were struck from two sides with heavy weapons. After the action, the soldiers retreated one stage.

Air and artillery attacks by the Turkish army

The areas of Şehîd Şahîn, Şikefta Birîndara, Çiyareş, Girê Rûbar, Şehîd Dünya, Girê Cehennem and Girê Rûbar in the Zap region were bombarded by Turkish border guards with howitzers dozens of times on April 19, and 26 airstrikes were conducted on the same day.

The areas of Girê Bihar and Girê FM, as well as the area surrounding the village of Sergelê in the Zap region, were bombed 17 times by fighter jets on April 19 and 20.

In the Metîna region, 13 artillery and airstrikes were carried out against the Serê Metîna, Girê Hakkari and Golka areas on April 19 and 20.