The Executive Committee of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) addressed the Kurdish people and the democratic public in a message marking the 39th anniversary of the 15 August Initiative.

The message said: “We are entering the 40th year of our glorious 15 August Revolutionary Breakthrough, which brought the Apoist line into organization and action, and carried the 1982 Great Prison Resistance to the mountains and the guerrillas everywhere.

The HPG and YJA Star guerrillas inflicted heavy blows on the AKP-MHP fascist gangs on 9 and 10 August, greeting the 39th anniversary of the 15 August Initiative, especially in Zap, the historical resistance area."

The statement added: "The performance of our heroic guerrilla forces as we enter the 40th anniversary of the historic 15 August Initiative makes our people and our friends more hopeful and determined. On this basis, our struggle for freedom, led by youth and women, is developing and growing in all four parts of Kurdistan and abroad. It is clear that this historical struggle, which is based on the physical freedom of Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan), will gain strength and will advance on the path of victory.

We commemorate all the martyrs of the historical heroic breakthrough in the person of our immortal commanders, comrades Egîd and Zîlan, with deep respect, love and gratitude. We wish success to all those who are fighting for freedom and democracy.

As it is known, on the basis of the 15 August Initiative, our Movement and people have been resisting uninterruptedly against Turkish colonialism and genocide mentality for 39 years. This great resistance, which is the most meaningful resistance in history, is taking place along the Apoist freedom line and under the leadership of the guerrillas."

The statement continued: "Leader Apo defined the Revolutionary Breakthrough of 15 August 1984 as 'a breakthrough of hope, persistence and persistence'. Every moment of this 39-year great struggle was spent paying heavy prices, experiencing difficulties and pain. Each year faced greater challenges and obstacles than the previous year. But all this did not intimidate or hinder our party and our people in developing this historical struggle. In an environment where opportunities are almost non-existent, this 39-year-old struggle was carried out successfully on the basis of the enlightening and remedial thoughts of Leader Apo and the courage and self-sacrifice of the Kurdish people.

Our 39th year struggle showed a resistance, persistence, endurance and success that exceeded previous years, especially under the leadership of the Zap, Avaşîn and Metina resistances developed against all kinds of illegal weapons."

The statement said: "Undoubtedly, the Movement, the Kurdish people and the peoples of Turkey, as well as revolutionary and democratic friends, resisted valiantly against all these attacks of AKP-MHP fascism.

We will resist even more strongly in the 40th year of the 15 August Initiative, based on the lessons we have learned from the past. The freedom resistance in Imrali, which is unique in history, will continue to illuminate our path and lead us. No matter what force and type of attack, the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla, which constantly renews itself in the Apoist line, will heroically resist all enemy attacks with a self-sacrificing line.

Our people, led by youths and women, and our Turkish friends, fighting against all kinds of special war attacks, will make their struggle on the basis of the goal of overthrowing fascism more widespread and creative."

The statement said that "no matter how much the fascist-genocidal enemy intensifies their fierce attacks, we will definitely be the winners by renewing ourselves on the basis of the 15 August Initiative, and by developing the struggle.

It is on this basis that we celebrate the 39th anniversary of our historic August 15 Revolutionary Breakthrough, and we enter the 40th year with this conviction and determination.

We salute the 15 August celebrations in all areas and the actions demanding the physical freedom of Leader Apo.

We call on our patriotic people and friends to renew themselves with the spirit of breakthrough and victory on August 15, and to develop our great resistance on the basis of destroying the AKP-MHP fascism and ensuring the physical freedom of Leader Apo in every field in the 40th year.”