The People's Defense Forces (HPG) struck the Turkish army in several regions of North and South Kurdistan as part of the KCK initiative called "Time to end isolation, fascism and occupation. Time to ensure freedom".

The actions were detailed in a statement issued by the HPG press center.

The statement also provided details of ongoing and already completed military operations and air strikes in Kurdistan.

In the South Kurdish guerrilla region of Heftanîn, where a Turkish occupation operation has been running since mid-June, five high-ranking military officers have recently been killed in an action in the Bektorya region. According to the HPG statement, the action took place last Thursday (17 September). The HPG targeted an "enemy position" on the Kato Sulê, and three soldiers were injured.

Another military position in Heftanîn was destroyed in an action on 15 September. It was located on Tepê Şehîd Şîlan in the Kartal area. According to the HPG, it was not possible to establish the number of losses among the occupation troops. Following the action, the war area fell under Turkish artillery fire.

The statement said: “Civilians who tried to leave the region were targeted. As a result, heavy damage was caused to the residents' vehicles. A forest fire was recorded in the area around the village of Keşan.”

An occupation operation has also been underway in Heftanîn for a few days, covering the Tepê Kartal, the foothills of the Şehîd Zinar summit and the Şehîd Gever gorge.

Guerrilla actions and military operation in Çukurca

Guerrillas were also active in the northern Kurdish province of Hakkari this week, said the statement. The target of the action carried out in Çukurca on Thursday were soldiers on the Tepê Şehîd Bilal.

The HPG said: “The bombardment took place around 5 pm, one position was completely destroyed. It is not known how many enemy soldiers were inside. Two surveillance cameras on the summit were also destroyed.”

After the action, the combat area was first bombed by ground and air troops by the Turkish army that after launched an operation in the area around Tepê Şehîd Bilal, which lasted several hours. In the course of this, soldiers tried to install more surveillance cameras in the area. “They became the target of guerrilla sabotage. This led to the death of three occupiers."

Another military operation was launched on 11 September in Beytüşşebap in Şırnak province. Kato Jirka was bombed. “Our forces first observed the enemy activities in the area before attacking the operations command that same day. The death of five high-ranking military officers was established; however, it is not clear how many soldiers had died. The special war media of the Turkish occupying state reported only three dead and one injured soldier. These statements are not true. On 13 September, the troops partially withdrew from the Kato Jirka, but the operation is not yet complete.”

Two guerrillas fell martyr in Van

The HPG further reported that two of its fighters fell martyr on 5 September as a result of fighting in Çatak near Van. Clashes broke out in the Masîro area after a military operation was launched in the region. “The full identities of the fighters, codenamed Agit and Mazlum, will be announced at a later date”, said the statement.

The HPG also reported counter-activities in the Omerya area in the province of Mardin. “For some time now, paramilitary forces - mostly women - have been moving around in guerrilla clothing in the villages of the region, posing as members of the HPG and YJA stars. The population should beware of the dirty methods of the occupying state."

The statement added: “In our statement dated 18 August, we shared with the public the information that 3 of our friends had fallen martyrs during the operation in the area of Banê village in the Gabar Mountain region of Şırnak on 30 July. One of the three was comrade Botan, whose identity information are as follows:

      Code Name: Botan Hezex

      Name Surname: Emin Turhan

      Place of Birth: Şırnak

      Mother's - Father's Name: Fatma - Ahmet

      Date and Place of Martyrdom: 30 July 2020 / Gabar

Air and ground attacks in Heftanîn and Çukurca

Finally, the HPG reported further air strikes on targets in the southern Kurdish Medya Defense Areas: “On 17, 18 and 19 September the Bektorya area in Heftanîn was bombed with howitzers and mortars. On 18 September the Kinyaniş area was targeted in Çukurca. Immediately afterwards, enemy troops were downed to the summit of Şehîd Bilal."