The People's Defense Forces (HPG) issued a statement on a deadly explosion in Southern Kurdistan. The statement issued by the HPG press center on Saturday said:

"On the evening of March 12, an explosion occurred in Sidekan. In this incident, a peshmerga fighter of the KDP lost his life and another one was injured. Our movement has been blamed for the incident, accusatory reports have appeared.

The unfortunate incident has taken place in Sidekan Gorge in Sidekan area of Xakurke region. The mentioned place had been mined several times during the Saddam period. In 2019 and 2020, some places in this area have been mined against the attacks of the Turkish occupying state on Xakurke. Both the population and the KDP officer in charge of the region have been informed that this is a mined military territory, the necessary warnings have been issued beforehand. Although the circumstances were known, KDP forces entered the mined area on March 12, and thus the said incident occurred. Our forces have nothing to do with it and bear no responsibility for it."