The Press Center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) released a statement providing information about the ongoing war in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) where the Turkish army has been conducting an invasion operation since April 17.

The HPG statement released on Thursday said:

"The freedom guerrillas of Kurdistan continue to deal heavy blows to the occupation operation of the Turkish colonial state. The Turkish occupation forces are unable to advance on the ground and continue to use chemical weapons and explosives on a massive scale. On May 10, 11 and 12, the resistance areas were bombed 27 times with chemical weapons, 36 times by fighter jets and helicopters and hundreds of times by howitzers. Despite the Turkish state's vile methods, six occupiers were punished and three others were injured in effective actions of our forces. One Sikorsky helicopter was shot down and one attack helicopter was damaged. These effective actions prove once again the hawklike striking power of the guerrillas equipped with the Apoist spirit of self-sacrifice."

ZAP

Regarding the details of Wednesday's guerrilla actions in the Zap region, HPG stated the following:

At 9:30 p.m., the Turkish army wanted to airdrop troops by transport helicopters after a massive bombardment of guerrilla positions in the Girê Şehîd Şahin resistance area. The guerrillas gained control of the helicopters and put them under heavy fire. One of the Sikorsky helicopters was hit heavily and crashed in the Kûnîşka area. A large explosion occurred at the crash site, and there are no survivors. The Turkish army subsequently bombed the crash area.

At 10:30 p.m., attack helicopters set to attack guerrilla positions at Girê Rûbar were struck by guerrillas and one of them was damaged. After the guerrillas' intervention, the helicopters left the area.

At 11:30 p.m., guerrillas intervened against attack helicopters in the Çiyareş resistance area and at Girê Cehennem, forcing them to retreat. Later that night, the area was bombed by attack helicopters.

Between 11 p.m. and midnight, guerrillas struck attack helicopters flying over the Mahîr Mîrzo area to bomb the Çemço area. Also on Wednesday, three guerrilla actions were carried out on attack helicopters in the Karker resistance area, and the helicopters were forced to leave the area.

XAKURKE

As the HPG had previously reported on May 9, YJA Star guerrillas carried out a successful action against the Turkish occupation forces at Girê Şehîd Derwêş on May 6. Six soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in the action.

ATTACKS BY THE TURKISH ARMY

Regarding the Turkish army's attacks, the HPG said that the Werxelê resistance area in Avaşîn and the Girê Şehîd Berxwedan in the Zap region were bombed 27 times with chemical weapons and explosives from May 10 until noon on May 11.

On May 11 and 12, the Çemço and Sîda areas in the Zap region were bombed by attack helicopters, and the resistance areas of Karker and Şikefta Birîndara were attacked twelve times with fighter jets and hundreds of times with howitzers. The Girê Cûdî and Girê Amediye areas were bombed five times by fighter jets and shelled dozens of times with howitzers by Turkish border guards during the same period. On Wednesday, bombardments by attack helicopters and howitzers targeted the areas of Kuro Jahro, Şehîd Şemdîn, Şehîd Harûn, Çiyareş, Girê Şehîd Cûdî and Girê Ortê between 21:00 and 00:30.

In Metîna, five airstrikes were carried out on Wednesday and Thursday on Girê Hakkarî and Girê Ortê areas, while Girê Hakkarî was shelled with howitzers on May 11. In the Werxelê resistance area in Avaşîn, five helicopter attacks took place on May 11.