People’s Defense Forces Central Headquarters Command issued a written statement on last night’s aerial attack against the Makhmur Self Defense Forces.

The Command statement says, “Those responsible for the attack in Makhmur will answer for it.”

The full statement is as follows:

“Yesterday on December 6, 2017 at 18.45, an aerial attack was carried out against the Makhmur Martyr Rüstem Cudi Camp. This vile and craven attack targeted a Makhmur Self Defense Units’ position. Heroic fighters in the Makhmur Self Defense Units, Comrades Botan, Baz, Çekdar, Bager and Devran have been martyred in this attack. We bow down for revolutionary militant Comrade Botan, who was known for his relentless struggle for the people of Kurdistan, his labor, courage and sacrifice, and four more comrades who were martyred. We offer our condolences for the families of these heroic martyrs, the residents of the Martyr Rüstem Cudi Camp, and all the patriotic people of Kurdistan. We wish a swift recovery to the wounded.

Makhmur Self Defense forces were organized to defend the people of Makhmur against the bane of humanity ISIS gangs, and targeting them is retaliation for the defeat of ISIS. This vile attack is without a doubt an attack by Turkish colonialism. It is significant that a camp under the protection of the United Nations, located in the middle of Iraqi territory was attacked. The Federal Iraqi State, the Kurdistan Regional Government and the UN will clearly be implicated until they issue convincing explanations on the matter. If there is no collaboration, there needs to be an inquiry into how the Turkish state carried out this aggressive act of terror against the people of Makhmur.

At the historic turn of the Kurdistan freedom struggle, now entering its 40th year under the lead of our party PKK, Turkish colonialism led by Tayyip Erdoğan is hostile against Kurds on all areas and know no bounds in developing attacks. The Turkish colonialism has revealed its true face once more with this attack against our patriotic and hardworking people of Makhmur, which is a refugee camp for those who have fled the same colonialism. Everybody should know that the Kurdistan freedom guerrillas will make those responsible for these attacks answer for them, and the blood of the heroes who were martyred in this attack will be avenged.”