HPG commander Rizgar Ersi has spoken to to ANF about the Turkish state's invasion of Heftanin and the guerrilla resistance. The colonialist state has been taught the lesson it deserves, says Ersi and points out that the losses of the Turkish army are being concealed. In 2020, a very violent war is taking place in Kurdistan and especially in Heftanin, and on 16 June, the Turkish army carried out a comprehensive attack on the region of Heftanin in Southern Kurdistan.

Ersi points out that: "The plan was to occupy Heftanin within a short time and to extend the occupation operation through the Medya Defense Zones to the whole of Southern Kurdistan. The Freedom Guerrilla of Kurdistan has destroyed this occupation plan with great sacrifice in Heftanin. The media organs of the fascist AKP/MHP regime are trying to distort the reality with lies and false reports, but the resulting picture openly shows its defeat. Unlike the Turkish state, our movement has made every moment of the war public every day."

The HPG commander explains that the Turkish state wanted to hit the guerrillas unprepared with a sudden attack and break their resistance. The broad operation was intended to eliminate as many guerrilla fighters as possible within a short period of time. He notes that the Turkish state has used all means to do this, but the plan made in Ankara did not work out in Heftanin.

Forced withdrawal from occupied posts

The guerrillas use a modern fighting technique, says Ersi and continues: "The enemy was unable to protect itself against the guerrillas' attacks in the places occupied within a short time and had to retreat from there. They had not calculated the fact that the Kurdistan guerrilla will mount resistance that cannot be described with words and will drive them away from this ground according to the promise they made. It is enough to consider only the resistance of Rustem Cudi. This spirit of resistance exists among all the fighters in Heftanin."

Not easy to forget

Ersi recalls that commanders of the Turkish army posed for their own media in the first days of the operation at the border: "They didn't realize that Kurdistan is the scene of a fierce resistance. They may hide it from their own public, but they themselves will not forget this defeat so quickly.”

The guerrilla fight of the 21st century is different than before, says the HPG commander: "The guerrillas have discarded their old classical habits and act now more professional than before. The task, which used to be done by a group of a hundred, can now be done by four people. The guerrillas have improved a lot in quality."