Turkey used chemical agents 44 times against guerrilla positions in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) on Tuesday, announced the press center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) in the daily overview of the guerrilla resistance against the Turkish invasion in the Medya Defense Zones. Demanding that Turkish war crimes not be downplayed as a normal state of affairs, HPG stated the following:

"Our forces in the resistance areas practice tactical richness with the fighting of mobile guerrilla units and in war positions and tunnels. They are putting a spoke in the occupiers' wheel and have the initiative in their hands. The Turkish occupation forces are in a difficult situation and are continuously using chemical weapons on a massive scale against the guerrillas' positions and tunnels. The use of chemical weapons by the Turkish army dozens of times a day is not an ordinary attack and should not be considered by anyone as a normal state of affairs. It is a war crime. However, whatever the Turkish occupation army uses, it will not be able to break the resistance of the guerrillas and the Apoist will of the fighters who are ready to sacrifice. On May 17 alone, the guerrilla positions and tunnels were attacked 44 times with chemical weapons. In return, our forces carried out effective actions in which 14 occupiers were punished and six others were injured. In addition, three drones were shot down."

HPG provided the following information about the guerrilla actions in the Avaşîn and Zap regions on May 17:

Avaşîn

In the Werxelê resistance area, the guerrillas intervened twice against chemical weapons attacks and used heavy weapons and sabotage tactics against the Turkish army. While one soldier was killed and three others were injured, Turkish troops then continued to withdraw. Guerrilla positions were attacked a total of 15 times with a combination of chemical weapons and explosives.

Zap

Near the Kevirêkun position in the Şikefta Birîndara resistance area, two members of the Turkish occupation forces were shot dead by HPG snipers. In the same area, a Turkish advance was stopped by guerrillas using heavy weapons. Turkish troops then retreated further. Over the area, two drones were shot down by the guerrillas. Around noon, Turkish troops were attacked with heavy weapons and snipers, as well as three acts of sabotage, as a result of which eight soldiers were killed and three others were injured. The Turkish army helicopters that arrived in the evening to remove the dead were also struck and forced to leave the area.

Three soldiers were killed in an act of sabotage near the Şehîd Hewrê guerrilla position in the Şehîd Şahîn resistance area. The guerrillas used explosives from army stocks that they had previously seized for this purpose. In the same area, YJA Star fighters shot down a Turkish drone.

The Turkish army used chemical weapons combined with explosives 27 times against the Şehîd Hewrê and Şehîd Berxwedan positions in the Şehîd Şahîn resistance area and at Girê Cehennem in the Çiyareş resistance area.

Dozens of air and artillery strikes on Medya Defense Zones

Turkish fighter jets, helicopters and howitzers bombed Medya Defense Zones dozens of times on Tuesday. According to HPG, four airstrikes were carried out on Çemço and Şikefta Birîndara areas in Zap region, Girê Amediye and Girê FM areas were attacked by Turkish border posts with howitzers. In Metîna, the Girê Hakkarî and Girê Ortê areas were bombed six times by fighter jets, and additional attacks were carried out from the border using howitzers.