People's Defense Center (HSM) Headquarters Command has released a statement refuting the Turkish reports that 60 guerrillas were killed in Haftanîn and 35 others in Dersim.

HSM reported that four guerrillas lost their lives in Dersim, who include HPG Command Council Member İsmail Aydemir (Baran Dersim).

People's Defense Center (HSM) Headquarters Command emphasized that the Turkish state and AKP government pursued a major lie and disinformation campaign to cover the heavy losses they suffered in the fight against the PKK (Kurdistan Worker's Party).

Refuting the most recent statements by Turkish officials that 60 PKK members were killed in Haftanîn and 35 others in Dersim, HSM said these reports were a part of the smear campaign aiming to deceive the society.

The statement underlined that; "It is obvious that these black propaganda activities pursued within the scope of a pyschological war will not be able to save the AKP regime on the brink of collapse, and the Turkish state forces that suffer fatal blows in the fight against guerrillas. The HPG, which hid none of its losses from the public opinion so far, considers it a responsibility and duty to announce the results of the ongoing war. Contrary to the reports of the Turkish military and mainstream media, guerrilla forces suffered no casualties in the airstrikes on Heftanîn area, but four losses in the airstrikes in Dersim, not 35 as has been claimed."

HSM stated that HPG Command Council Member İsmail Aydemir (Baran Dersim), and guerrillas Erdal (Abdurrahman Akçin), Cîlo (Resul Balıkçı) and Botan (Sedat Arslan) have lost their lives as a result of the airstrikes conducted by the Turkish army on the rural areas of Dersim's Ovacık district for two consecutive days.

Offering condolences to the families of the fallen guerrillas and all the patriotic people of Dersim and Kurdistan, HSM reiterated their promise to follow the path of the martyrs and keep their memories alive in the freedom struggle.

HSM called on all the patriotic people of Kurdistan to receive these valuable guerrillas with a spirit of major resistance, and the youths of Dersim and Kurdistan to join the struggle in the current historic process of the struggle.

The statement provided the following ID details of the guerrillas martyred in Dersim;

Nom de Guerre: Baran Dersim
Name-Surname: İsmail Aydemir
Place of Birth: Dersim
Parents' Names: Hatice - Murat
Date and Place of Death: 16 September 2015 / Dersim

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Nom de Guerre: Erdal Reşo
Name-Surname: Abdurrahman Akçin
Place of Birth: Mardin
Parents' Names: Ayşe - Halil
Date and Place of Death: 16 September 2015 / Dersim

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Nom de Guerre: Botan Gevda
Name-Surname: Sedat Aslan
Place of Birth: Mersin
Parents' Names : Şehristan - Ahmet
Date and Place of Death: 16 September 2015 / Dersim

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Nom de Guerre: Cilo Kop
Name-Surname: Resul Balıkçı
Place of Birth: Muş
Parents' Names: Sevda - Nizamettin
Date and Place of Death: 16 September 2015 / Dersim