KURDISTAN

Latest News

• YJA STAR guerrilla martyred in Varto laid to rest in Van 

  YJA STAR (Free Women's Troops) guerrilla Kevser Eltürk, who recently lost her life in a clash with Turkish soldiers in Varto, has been laid to rest by women.
• KJA calls upon international organizations to investigate in Kurdistan 

  Free Women’s Congress (KJA) called upon all international human rights organizations, observers’ delegations and press to investigate the massacres and human rights violations in Silopi and the rest of Kurdistan.
• HDP MP: Children working at the bakery were clearly executed 

  HDP Ağrı parliamentarian Dirayet Taşdemir described the incident in Diyadin as a clear execution and said that there was no sign of a shootout at the crime scene. She noted that the arrest of five witnesses aimed to cover up the execution.
• Governor portrays children massacred in Diyadin as PKK guerrillas 

  Ağrı Governor's Office tries to legitimize police executions in Diyadin district of Ağrı by portraying slain civilians as PKK guerillas.
• Witness: Police put guerrilla clothes on victims after the murders 

  Fevzi Kahraman, a witness of the execution by police in Diyadin, told that special operations teams killed three civilians and put guerrilla clothes on them after the murders.
• Special operations teams execute three civilians in Diyadin 

  Police massacred Orhan Aslan (16) and Emrah Aydemir (15) in their workplaces in Diyadin. Another body was found in Murat Neighborhood, and has not yet been identified.
• Actions by HPG and YJA Star guerrillas continue 

  HPG (People's Defense Forces) and YJA Star (Free Women's Troops) guerrillas continue their actions in response to the ongoing operations and attacks of the Turkish military.
• HPG: Turkish troops continue to attack Medya Defence Zones 

  People’s Defense Forces (HPG) Press Office reported in its daily statement that Turkish troops carry out bombardments against Medya Defence Zones heavily relying on howitzer and mortar fires.
• KCK: Kurdish people have no option but self-governance 

  KCK Executive Council Co-Presidency voiced support to People’s Councils’ declaration of self-governance in Şırnak and said that Kurdish people have no option but self-governance in the face of AKP government’s insistence on the nation state.
• HDP report on Zergelê confirms the targeted killing of civilians 

  HDP has released its report on the massacre in Zergelê village located in Qandil region, where the airstrikes of Turkish air forces claimed the lives of 8 civilians and left dozens of others wounded in the early morning hours of August 1, 2015.
• Sniper terror in Silopi 

  Gunshots continued until early morning hours today in Silopi where police had carried out a massacre and tensions have remained high since August 7.
• People of South Kurdistan: We will never abandon our lands 

  Hundreds of people from South Kurdistan, who face the threat of massacre after the Turkish army’s air strikes, rose up against recent attacks.
• Military operation in Savur 

  Turkish troops have launched a military operation in the rural areas of Taşlık (Cirzê), Kırkdirek (Çilsutun) and Soylu (Deriş) neighborhoods in Mardin's Savur district.
• 'UN should act for the bodies of the martyrs held at the border' 

  As the Turkish state continues denying permission for the entry of 20 fallen YPG/YPJ fighters' bodies into their homeland North Kurdistan, Meya-Der executive Şükrü Baytar called for sensibility from the UN and world public opinion on the issue.
• Large scale operation in Şırnak targets co-mayors and DBP executives 

  Turkish police have conducted a large scale operation in Şırnak where tension remains high since last week which witnessed the killing of three civilians and injury of many others by security forces in Silopi district.
• HPG: 15 members of Turkish forces killed in actions by guerrillas 

  HPG Press Office reported in a written statement that actions by guerrillas in response to the ongoing attacks of Turkish military continued.
• 'We have not declared autonomy but we do not recognize this state' 

  DBP Şırnak Provincial Co-President Salih Güvenç responded to news articles claiming that autonomy was declared in Şırnak, and said that they did not declare autonomy or a canton, but said that they no longer recognize this fascist state.
• HPG claims responsibility for the action in Sultanbeyli 

  HPG said the self-sacrifice action at Fatih Police Headquarter in İstanbul’s Sultanbeyli district on August 10 was carried out by a team of three persons affiliated to Şehit (Martyr) Zîlan Battalion of the Immortal.
• DBP Amed branch calls for massive mobilization against war 

  DBP (Party of Democratic Regions, formerly BDP) Amed organization objected to AKP’s war policies and underlined the importance of mobilizing and raising voices massively in order to prevent war.
• Human shield actions by civilians continue in Ağrı and Tendürek 

  Human shield actions continue in Ağrı and Tendürek mountains that had been announced as “Temporary Military Security Regions” by Ağrı Governor's Office, and protestors note that their resistance against AKP and Erdoğan will continue.
• Monument for fallen guerrillas and peshmergas erected in Hewler 

  A monument for the guerrillas and peshmergas who lost their lives in the war that began with the ISIS attack on Maxmur a year ago was erected in the Hewler city of South Kurdistan.
• Number of bodies held at Mürşitpınar increases to 20 

  Number of the bodies of YPG/YPJ fighters, who died as they were fighting ISIS gangs in Kobanê, held at Urfa’s Mürşitpınar border gate by the Turkish government increased to 20.
• Turkish fighter in Shengal Resistance Units: I am fighting for humanity 

  Rojat Ali from the Turkish town of Kayseri in Central Anatolia fights in the ranks of Shengal Resistance Units 'to defend Shengal and protect the Êzîdî people'.
• The first step of the occupation plan: Turkey enters Syria 

  As parts of its plans for the occupation of Syria, the Turkish state has entered Syria from the Bab Al-Selamê border gate in Azaz city.
• Kobanê Minister urges an explanation from Turkey on six YPG fighters 

  Kobanê Foreign Affairs Minister İbrahim Kurdo said they expected an explanation from Turkish authorities about the claims that six YPG fighters in Turkey have been handed over to Al-Nusra.