The Press Centre of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) has issued a statement on an incident that took place this morning in the Çemankê region of Southern Kurdistan, which says the following:

"Today around 11 am, KDP forces have started an operation against the Gare region from Çemankê sub-district. Despite our warnings, they tried to enter our camp in the surroundings of the Bebadê village with armored vehicles. Our forces did not fight and did not use any weapons despite this attempted attack.

When, despite our warnings, the advance into our camp continued, intervention was made against the armored Hummers. The detonation of two mines located here was intended to prevent further advance.

Our guerilla forces will never be the attacking side. We want to avoid fighting for the national interests of the people of Kurdistan, we openly announce this.

We call upon the KDP to stop the operations against our camps. However, it should be generally known that our guerrilla forces will defend themselves in the scope of legitimate self-defense if the attacks continue.”