Leyla Amed is one of the commanders of the female guerrilla YJA Star. She spoke on Stêrk TV about the tactics of the Turkish army and the struggle of the guerrillas in North Kurdistan and Medya Defense Areas.

Despite its attacks, the Turkish cannot defeat the guerrillas. "Even if the Turkish soldiers seal the border, we can get through and fight wherever we want," said Commander Adil Bilika. Which connection do you see between these words and the war being currently fought?

Heval Adil went to Botan in 2006–2007. At that time the enemy surrounded Gabar. Heval Adil said, ‘This siege will not stop our struggle. On the contrary, it will be the reason for our struggle to grow.’ What he says about this concept of war makes sense. The enemy has divided Kurdistan and tried to draw its borders. The children of this people have never accepted that. Since its inception, the Turkish state has tried to deepen the division of Kurdistan with various concepts. It laid barbed wire and built military fortresses all over the border. This policy was intended to prevent the guerrillas from entering or leaving Bakur (North Kurdistan). But the guerrillas don't just come from the south. There is a large participation from Bakur and the rest of the world.

The enemy wanted to prevent the people from joining the guerrillas, but the guerrillas grew day after day. Nobody can block the guerrilla's path. That dream of the enemy was shattered. With the tools available today, they can never stop the guerrillas. Neither this country nor these people accept the borders, because Kurdistan is one. With a few military fortresses and a few occupied hills, the unity of the Kurdish people cannot be prevented.

Why is the Turkish state again using unsuccessful military methods?

The enemy believes it will stop the guerrillas by building military fortresses. It believes the guerrillas are only going one way. The enemy thinks they could stop the guerrillas if they occupy areas like Cûdî or Gabar. It believes that if it breaks ties between the population and the guerrillas, the guerrillas cannot continue to exist. As in the past, it is only deluding himself. The Turkish state's methods of lying to the people have not yet come to an end. There is not a day when there are no reports of lies in the state press. The media are used as a means of special warfare. In view of the guerrilla resistance, this tactic and the technology of the enemy are in vain.

What is the difference between the Turkish army then and now?

In the past, the army focused more on a high number of soldiers. But it realized that it wasn't working. The soldiers are trapped in their outposts and fortresses. That is why they now mainly rely on the technology they have at their disposal. This time they want to fight with drones and thus gain control over Kurdistan and the guerrillas. But they can't because the guerrillas have been fighting non-stop for 40 years.

We suffered some losses in the last phase. And that was not because the enemy was strong, but because of the shortcomings on our side. If we don't make mistakes, there is no way we will lose.

The enemy has long tried to encircle the Cûdî region. Its goal is to liquidate the guerrillas there. However, our forces do not allow the Turkish army to move around the region just like that. The guerrillas inflict heavy blows on the enemy with their actions in the northern Kurdish region of Cûdî.

How is the situation developing due to the permanent attacks by the Turkish state?

We call some seasons guerrilla seasons. The guerrilla movements begin in spring. Spring is the time of action. But that does not mean that the guerrillas do not carry out actions in winter as well. The seasonal factor affects guerrilla activity, but in some areas the guerrillas have the ability to take action anytime. In recent times, the enemy can only carry out aerial operations. It can only conduct operations in areas that are unfavourable for the guerrillas, such as mountain pastures. Even during these operations, it does not dare take a step without reconnaissance planes. This also applies to the soldiers in the outposts and fortresses. They build so many fortresses in Kurdistan, but they still fear for their safety. They will always live with this fear. Because the enemy knows Kurdistan is not alone.

What are the consequences of this situation for the Turkish army?

The army has lost control on the ground. Their presence in Kurdistan is limited to outposts and military fortresses where they are prisoners de facto. The fear that the guerrillas aroused in them compels them to adopt this attitude. They were full of confidence in their technology, but they saw that they couldn't break the guerrilla force, and on top of that, they are in a deep economic crisis. When they saw the guerrillas fighting with new means and tactics, they tried to wage war through contras and collaborators. The guerrillas are now carrying out various actions against this. Guerrillas not only fight against the Turkish army, but also against the traitors who work with it and whose hands are red with the blood of the people. They will be exposed and punished. Those who sell themselves for money and stand in the way of the freedom of Kurdistan will from now on be punished by our forces.

Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] resists the heavy isolation regime imposed on him. All people from seven to seventy have to take part in the offensive “Time for Freedom” launched by the KCK. Our people may be unemployed, but they will never stop fighting.

Just as the guerrillas do their duty in the mountains of Kurdistan, our people must also fulfil their duty of self-defense. It must not allow the enemy to invade Kurdistan. We are not powerless, we have forty years of combat experience. We have the power to defeat the enemy. The enemy is so weakened that if we accomplish our mission, success is imminent.