HPG releases six-month balance sheet of war in South Kurdistan

The press center of the People’s Defense Forces (HPG) has published a six-month balance sheet of the Turkish invasion of the Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). HPG stated that Turkey has been unable to implement its occupation plan and has suffered defeat despite technological superiority and the use of banned chemical weapons. Since the beginning of the year, 38 fighters have been killed by poison gas in southern Kurdistan. In the past six months, 101 guerrilla fighters have died resisting Turkish occupation in the Avaşîn, Metîna and Zap regions. According to the HPG, Turkish losses amount to 670 members of the forces deployed in the invasion, including counter-guerrillas and mercenaries in addition to soldiers.

Regarding the balance sheet for the period between April 23 and October 23, HPG stated: “Within the framework of the revolutionary offensives Bazên Zagrosê and Cenga Xabûrê, a legendary resistance has taken place in the regions of Avaşîn, Metîna and Zap, which is now entering its seventh month. This phase of the war has been waged with relentless resistance and the Apoist spirit at every moment and has produced important results.

The results of the six-month war balance are concrete evidence that the Turkish state could not implement its plan as desired and suffered defeat in this attack. Although modern weapon technology and chemical weapons have been used and the KDP has made various attempts against the guerrillas, the AKP/MHP regime cannot record the desired result and has been defeated.” As a result, the systemic crisis of the Turkish regime has worsened, HPG said.

323 chemical weapons attacks detected

The use of chemical weapons by the Turkish army in the past six months has a special place in the HPG balance sheet. However, the HPG pointed out that as early as February of this year, six combatants were killed by poison gas during the military operation in Gare. In the ongoing invasion in Avaşîn, Metîna and Zap, Turkish ground forces and air force once again failed against modern guerrilla tactics, so the army resorted to chemical weapons. In six months, 323 chemical weapons attacks on guerrilla positions have been detected. However, the HPG believes the number is even higher and points out that Turkey is being encouraged to commit war crimes by international silence. A new chemical warfare agent has been used since September, causing widespread severe damage, according to HPG.

Martyrs of the guerrillas

Regarding their own casualties, the HPG said: “During the six-month period of the war, 101 comrades died in the areas of Avaşîn, Metîna and Zap, 32 of them in chemical weapons attacks. Together with the six companions martyred in Gare in February 2021, the number of our fighters who fell in chemical weapons attacks by the Turkish state this year is 38.”

Attacks on civilian settlements

However, HPG said that not only the guerrilla areas were affected by the attacks, but also populated areas, “Not only the Medya Defense Zones were bombed intensively every day, but also civilian settlements, villages, gardens, cultivated areas and cars in Southern Kurdistan where our people have suffered serious material damage as well as casualties.”

The six-month balance sheet in figures

In the balance sheet, the HPG pointed out that infantryman Sezai Güngör was killed by his own unit in September while trying to surrender to the guerrillas in the Zap region. In addition, the HPG listed the following figures:

Actions of the guerrillas

1 raid action

2 ambush actions

12 infiltration actions

29 actions by the air defense forces

44 coordinated and simultaneous guerrilla actions

54 sniper actions

63 damage actions

91 assault actions

98 sabotage actions

132 actions with heavy weapons

63 actions that stopped an advance of the occupation forces

A total of 599 guerrilla actions took place, killing 670 occupiers, including five contras and 665 soldiers and mercenaries. 96 occupiers were injured.

Weapons and military equipment confiscated

1 radio set

1 MPT weapon

1 grenade launcher

1 B7 weapon

1 pair of binoculars

1 Thermal binoculars

1 mine detector

2 weapon telescopes

2 BKC weapons

2 drones

2 photo traps

6 military backpacks

Tons of explosives

Personal details of soldiers

Military equipment

Military equipment destroyed by the guerrillas

1 Transit type military vehicle

1 large excavator

1 remote controlled tracked vehicle

2 normal military vehicles

4 Reo type vehicles

4 Kirpi type armored vehicles

6 grenade launchers with emplacements

7 A4 weapons with emplacements

1 dugout

1 telescopic binoculars

2 detectors

2 head cameras

4 radar systems

6 drones

34 surveillance camera systems

Dozens of tents

Bulletproof shields

Tons of explosives

Hundreds of positions

Damaged military equipment

1 large excavator

4 excavators

5 military vehicles

6 drones

6 helicopters

14 attack helicopters