HPG statement on Çukurca: 12 Turkish soldiers killed

Guerrillas hit the Turkish army in north and south Kurdistan.

The Press Office of People’s Defense Forces (HPG-BIM) released a statement providing the details of the action carried out by guerrillas against the Turkish army in Çukurca region on April 19 night.

HPG-BIM stated that guerrillas carried out actions against the Turkish troops in Çukurca region of Hakkari and Sidekan region of South Kurdistan on April 19 and 20.

According to the statement, guerrillas raided the position of Turkish soldiers stationed on Marty Bager Hill in the countryside of Hakkari’s Çukurca district at 21:10 on April 19. The action was carried out as part of the ‘Martyr Bager and Martyr Ronya Revolutionary Initiative’.

Guerrillas carried out the raid from two directions and put all the positions here under fire at close range.

12 SOLDIERS DEAD, 10 WOUNDED, 3 MISSING

After entering the emplacement, guerrillas destroyed many of the positions here, leaving 12 soldiers dead, including a commander of the hill, and 10 others wounded. While many soldiers fled their positions on the hill and fled as a result of the strikes of guerrillas, three soldiers ended up missing as their aftermath is not known.

Simultaneously, guerrillas also hit the Turkish military units on the hills of Koordine, Martyr Zeki and Petrot. While all the three hills were put under intense fire, the number of soldiers killed or wounded here couldn’t be clarified.

Following the action of guerrillas, the Turkish army bombarded the region with fighter jets and artillery till 5 am on April 20.

“TURKISH ARMY AND MEDIA DISTORT THE TRUTH”

HPG refuted the reports of the Turkish Chief of Staff and the Turkish media regarding the results of the mentioned action carried out by guerrillas.

The statement continued; “The Turkish Chief of Staff and the AKP media that distort all the truths in an attempt to hide the balance of the war from the public opinion, has tired to cover up the defeat that the Turkish army suffered in this action by Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla, attempting to deceive the society through news reports that we have suffered heavy losses.

Our forces did not suffer any loss in these actions, which were carried out in memory of our comrades that fell in recent airstrikes, nor in the ensuing bombardments. Guerrillas managed to reach their camps safely. Our people should not give credence to the fabricated news of the Turkish media.”

TWO SOLDIERS KILLED IN SIDEKAN

HPG-BIM provided the following details of the guerrilla action that targeted the Turkish army in Sidekan region of South Kurdistan as part of the ‘Martyr Bager and Martyr Ronya Revolutionary Initiative’ at 14:30 on April 20.

“Our forces carried out an action against the enemy units stationed on Hill Lelikan in Sidekan region. The positions and shelters of the enemy were put under intense fire, as a result of which 2 soldiers were killed and some equipment of the Turkish forces here was destroyed. In the wake of the action, the Turkish army bombed the scene with howitzer and mortar fire and retrieved the dead and wounded soldiers from the area with the support of attack helicopters in the evening hours.”

AIR STRIKES IN AVASHIN

The statement also reported continued aerial bombardments by the Turkish army against the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan.

Accordingly, Turkish fighter jets shelled the Basya area in Avashin region at random at 2 am on April 20. Guerrillas did not suffer casualties or injuries in this bombardment, added the HPG statement.