Kurdistan Freedom Guerrillas are welcoming the 40th anniversary of the 15 August Initiative, when the PKK fired the first bullet at the Turkish army in 1984, with effective actions. HPG guerrilla Orhan Lotos spoke to ANF on the 15 August Initiative and stated that the PKK's great commander Egîd (Mahsum Korkmaz) developed the 15 August Initiative as an instruction of the 14 July resistance in the Amed (Diyarbakır) dungeon.

Guerrilla Orhan Lotos said, “I celebrate the Resurrection Day of our patriotic people and our comrades resisting in positions. I commemorate all the martyrs of the revolution with respect and gratitude in the person of our great commander, Egîd.”

Lotos noted that the 15 August Initiative did not emerge spontaneously, that the infrastructure of the move was prepared with the efforts of the 14 July resistance fighters, and said: “I respectfully commemorate all July martyrs in the person of comrades Hayri Durmuş, Kemal Pir, Akif Yılmaz and Ali Çiçek, the 14 July resistance fighters. Comrade Egîd formed the 14 July resistance as the basis of the 15 August Initiative.”

Pointing out that today this struggle also manifests itself in the Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s resistance in İmralı Island Prison, guerrilla Orhan Lotos said, “In Zap, Metina, Xakûrkê and Garê, a great struggle is being waged in the spirit of the 15 August Initiative against the attacks of the occupying Turkish state. We will always remember the creators of this struggle with gratitude.

Comrade Egîd assumed historic responsibility by firing the first bullet at the enemy in the 15 August Initiative. He carried out this move in difficult conditions where there were no opportunities. We, as the successors of our great commander Egîd, are also aware of this fact. At a time when the enemy said, ‘we are strong, we have dealt with everything’, Comrade Egîd rewrote the history of the struggle of the Kurdish people by realising the 15 August Initiative. The armed struggle that started on 15 August 1984 in many areas of Kurdistan, especially in Biradost, Behdinan and North Kurdistan, continues strongly. Heavy blows are being dealt to the occupying enemy. Our comrades are fighting heroically until their last breath. Although the Turkish state pretends that it is superior in the war, this is not the case. The Turkish army cannot advance against the resistance of the guerrillas. The occupiers will never achieve their goal.”