The Press Center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) released a statement providing the latest information about the Turkish state’s invasion operation launched on April 17 in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

According to the statement, the guerrillas continue their resistance against the Turkish invasion unabated. The fighting continues to be concentrated in the Zap region and the Werxelê mountain massif in the Avaşîn region. The areas are being bombarded by Turkish artillery and air force, and an airstrike has been conducted in the Gare region of Medya Defense Zones.

"15 occupiers punished"

The HPG statement released on Saturday said: “Our forces are simultaneously employing modern guerrilla tactics and securing terrain sovereignty with mobile units. The occupiers continue to be dealt hard blows through comprehensive actions. In effective and highly sacrificial actions, 15 occupiers were punished and two others were injured. In addition, a position and a surveillance camera system were destroyed. Our forces also seized military equipment belonging to the occupation forces.”

Avaşîn

On the Werxelê mountain massif, soldiers of the Turkish army were struck twice by guerrillas on Friday with no information available on the resulting deaths and injuries. Between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., the resistance area was attacked by the invading forces with chemical agents and explosives and bombed by attack helicopters.

Zap

During an advance of a Turkish unit toward the guerrilla positions at Girê Şehîd Hemrîn in the Şehîd Şahîn resistance area, a guerrilla action from close range left one soldier dead, and the guerrillas seized military equipment on April 22.

On April 29, four mobile guerrilla groups simultaneously struck a Turkish military unit in the vicinity of the Şehîd Berxwedan defensive position in the Şehîd Şahîn resistance area. Two groups infiltrated the enemy unit and advanced on a position with hand grenades and firearms, as a result of which the position was destroyed and five soldiers were killed. When the occupation forces tried to intervene at the site, the other guerrilla groups stepped in and killed seven more soldiers. At the same time, a surveillance camera system was destroyed. The Turkish army subsequently bombed the area with attack helicopters, and the casualties were taken away by helicopters hours later.

The strategically important Kuro Jahro Mountain in the south of the Zap region also remains fiercely contested. The Turkish army again attempted to use a combination of explosives and chemical weapons against the guerrilla positions. The intervention of guerrillas with sabotage tactics left one soldier dead. Shortly thereafter, the occupiers were hit with heavy weapons, but the number of possible casualties could not be determined. The guerrillas' defensive positions were subsequently subjected to massive bombardment by the Turkish army.

At Girê Şehîd Şemdîn, which is also part of the Kuro Jahro resistance area, guerrillas of YJA Star (Free Women’s Troops) struck the occupation forces with heavy weapons, wounding two soldiers. A camera surveillance system was destroyed in a guerrilla action on Girê Rûbar, while one soldier was killed in the vicinity of Kevirêkun in the Şikefta Birîndara resistance area.

Ongoing attacks by the Turkish army

The Turkish Air Force carried out 24 attacks on Southern Kurdistan on Friday, according to HPG data. In Gare, fighter jets bombed the foothills of Girê Zengil, while six airstrikes were carried out on Girê Cûdî, Şehîd Kendal, Şehîd Zagros and Şehîd Şîlan in Zap. The areas were also shelled with artillery shells by Turkish border guards. HPG reported 17 air and artillery attacks in the areas of Çemço, Kunîşka, Sîda, Şikefta Birîndara, Çiyareş, Girê Şehîd Cûdî and Girê Ortê in Zap region.