The press center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) announced that guerrilla fighters Cumalî, Çavrê, Amara, Mahîr and Dilvîn were killed in a Turkish chemical weapons attack on the Werxelê mountain massif in the Avaşîn region of southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

The HPG statement includes the following:

"The Turkish occupying army wanted to advance further with heavy weapons on the evening of October 8 after bombing the Werxelê resistance area. Due to the intervention of the Werxelê resisters, fighting broke out and the occupying forces had to stop their advance. The Turkish state ignores all regulations of the international law of war and uses chemical weapons intensively against the resistance areas. Despite these inhumane attacks and the futile calls for surrender, our fighters in Werxelê continue their historic resistance with the Apoist militant will.

The fascist Turkish state has encountered one of the strongest resistances in our history in its occupation operation in the regions of Zap, Avaşîn and Metîna, which was launched on the night of April 23. The Turkish state is committing war crimes and yet it is unable to achieve its dirty goals. To overcome this, it has bombed the resistance areas countless times from the air and from the ground. All of the attacks have been masterfully directed into the void. Because the Turkish state is not getting results, it is using banned chemical weapons, committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. Our comrades are resisting in Werxelê under the most difficult conditions and are responding to the vile attacks by increasing their struggle. With their unparalleled practice, they have once again proven themselves to be militants worthy of Rêber Apo, the martyrs and our people. In the chemical weapons attacks on October 5, our companions Cumalî, Çavrê, Amara, Mahîr and Dilvîn resisted until their last breath and became immortal."

The exact details of the identities of the martyrs are to be published at a later date, the statement added.