In the last two days, at least 49 members of the Turkish occupation forces in Southern Kurdistan have been killed in guerrilla attacks - 42 of them alone in the course of a spectacular retaliation operation by the People's Defence Forces (HPG) and Free Women's Troops (YJA Star) on Saturday. This is according to a review of the war in the Medya Defence Zones released by the HPG Press Office on Monday. ANF had reported on Sunday about the "revolutionary guerrilla operation" in Metîna, the details of which have been announced today.

"Our forces carried out this revolutionary operation in the Girê Hekarî resistance area in order to celebrate the founding anniversary of our party on the one hand and to avenge all our friends and companions who died as a result of the use of chemical weapons and banned bombs in the person of Nurî Yekta, a member of the Metîna Area Command. With the spirit of Apoism, our professional units stormed the invaders' positions in a coordinated manner. Various guerrilla tactics were employed, including ambush-type offensive attacks, infiltrations, sniper actions and the use of heavy weapons.

Girê Hekarî is one of the strategic hills in Metîna, where the guerrillas operate from underground tunnels. At the same time, it is the link between smaller massifs that play an important role in operational-tactical defence. Here, in the hills of Şehîd Akif and Şehîd Zemanî, Turkish occupation forces had raised several military positions. The guerrillas' goal was to overrun them. They have now more than succeeded.

THREE GUERRILLAS FELL IN ACTION

The operation started with an assault on Hill Şehîd Zemanî. The participating guerrillas spread out on three fronts and attacked simultaneously with hand grenades and semi-automatic weapons. "With a high offensive force, all seventeen positions were taken and the invaders in them were punished. The Hill Şehîd Zemanî came completely under the control of our forces, who seized two infantry machine guns set up here and used them against the enemy. Following the operation, both weapons were destroyed. Rifles as well as ammunition belonging to the enemy were also seized and fired against the occupying forces. The army provisions found here were completely destroyed." The HPG said that three of their guerrillas fell as martyrs in the storming of the Girê Şehîd Zemanî; the front commander Amed and guerrilla fighters Binevş and Baran. Their full identities will be announced by the HPG at a later date.

The operation continued with guerrilla actions against Turkish military positions on the Şehîd Akîf and Şehîd Viyan hills. Here the guerrillas struck the invaders from two sides, killing at least five soldiers.

All other military personnel, including senior commanders, at the Şehîd Zemanî hill were killed. Among the destroyed war equipment, according to a list provided by the HPG, is a grenade launcher, two camera surveillance systems and various small arms. Among other things, four "national infantry rifles" of the Turkish army, four associated telescopes for sighting, a grenade launcher, a sniper rifle and a bayonet with the engraved name "Oğuzhan Alp" were confiscated.

The HPG pointed out that the Turkish army tried unsuccessfully to stop the guerrilla operation with air strikes and artillery attacks against the fighting area.

MILITARY MOVEMENT DETECTORS DESTROYED

At Girê Cûdi, the HPG and YJA Star guerrillas on Saturday destroyed military movement detectors laid in the area to stop infiltrations of the guerrillas.

On Sunday, the guerrillas struck the invaders again in the same area. Mobile units first shelled an enemy camp with heavy weapons. In a second action, a soldier was shot dead by a female guerrilla sniper. The third action at Girê Cûdî resulted in the death of a soldier while another two were injured.

HELICOPTER STRUCK IN ZAP

In the Zap region, the guerrillas also took action against Turkish occupation forces on Sunday. In the Sîda area, a mobile unit first fired on a group of soldiers in open terrain, killing three of them and injuring others. Later, an attack helicopter came under fire during an attack flight and was forced to turn back. In Çemço, a coordinated two-front action targeted the Turkish troops in the vicinity of the Şehîd Adil defense area. Another two soldiers were killed here.

ATTACKS BY THE TURKISH ARMY

Regarding the continued attacks by the Turkish army, the HPG said that the guerrilla areas in Southern Kurdistan were attacked six times with prohibited bombs and chemical warfare agents over the weekend. In addition, 16 air strikes by combat helicopters were recorded. In addition, dozens of attacks with howitzers, mortars, tanks and heavy weapons targeted the areas of Girê Cûdi, Girê Amêdî, Kurojahro, Saca, Girê Hekarî, Sîda, Çemço and Girê FM.