PKK Executive Committee member Murat Karayılan responded to journalist Mem Şirwan’s questions on Sterk TV last night and evaluated the military and political developments in Kurdistan.

Karayılan stated that Turkey continues its anti-Kurdish attacks and the AKP, MHP and Ergenekon have formed an alliance in order to carry out a new initiative against the Kurdish Freedom Movement. Karayılan emphasized the importance of Kurdish people’s unity in the face of this initiative, and said “We must respond to the occupiers accordingly.”

Karayılan emphasized that Turkey’s attacks on Kurdish people in West and South Kurdistan are parts of this AKP-MHP-Ergenekon initiative, and objected to the AKP government’s use of Turkey’s fight against the PKK as an excuse for these attacks. Karayılan said that the occupation of Jarablus showed that international powers tolerate such an excuse despite the problems they may have among themselves, and underlined that the PYD is not the PKK but a different movement with different structures and co-presidents struggling against a different state. Karayılan said “Turkey’s goal in occupying al-Bab is to prevent the unification of West Kurdistan”, and warned that Erdoğan would turn to Aleppo if Turkish forces occupy al-Bab. Karayılan also warned that a violent war could take place in Shehba region around al-Bab if the AKP government insists on interfering with the internal politics of Syria and West Kurdistan.

Regarding Erdoğan’s claims that YPG and HPG forces use guns given by NATO-member countries against Turkey, Karayılan said that such claims were utter lies. Karayılan emphasized that YPG forces have not fired a single bullet against Turkish soldiers, and HPG has never received guns from any state or organization. Karayılan also said that if Erdoğan truly has the serial numbers of such guns, he should make them public.

PKK Executive Committee member Murat Karayılan stated that the Turkish state is targeting the status of South Kurdistan as it tries to occupy Mosul, Tel Afer and Shengal because Turkish officials believe that this status will continue to inspire Kurdish people in North, West and East Kurdistan. Karayılan emphasized that the AKP has been disseminating false propaganda in order to deepen the divide among the PKK, KDP and Goran Movement in order to weaken South Kurdistan, and warned all Kurdish parties against such Turkish efforts.

Karayılan said that after failing to participate in Raqqa and Mosul operations, Turkey persuaded international powers to give the green light to its operations in Shengal and Qandil with the excuse of the fight against the PKK, and warned that these operations would not proceed as planned due to the decades long experience of the PKK.

Murat Karayılan congratulated the establishment anniversary of the PKK and said that Kurdistan Revolution has made important gains and defeated genocide attempts during over the past 38 years, and the time for liberation has finally come. Karayılan noted that the Turkish state has returned to its policies around 1925 and waging an all-out war against Kurdish people, and the arrests of politicians and journalists should be interpreted as part of this war. Karayılan emphasized that politicians would not have been arrested if HDP officials had stood up for the recent self-administration resistance, and called upon village guards to lay down their arms and take a stance against the state because the PKK would be behind them and provide protection.