Αυτοκαθορισμός : Φεβρουαρίου 2021

Κυριακή 28 Φεβρουαρίου 2021

Footage from Gare shows the traces of the Turkish invasion operation in Gare, the objects left behind by the soldiers, and the cave where 13 prisoners of war died. Three guerrilla fighters recount their experiences.

The Turkish army launched an invasion operation in the Gare area of southern Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) on February 10 and had to withdraw in the face of guerrilla resistance on February 14. According to the Headquarters Command of People’s Defense Center (HSM), the Turkish state wanted to achieve a permanent occupation of the area and get its hands on the guerrillas' prisoners of war with the four-day bombardment and the deployment of air-dropped troops. More than forty fighter jets and dozens of drones were used for this purpose. Fifteen guerrilla fighters were martyred in the aggression, six of them in the Siyanê prison camp. Two helicopters came under fire from the guerrillas and were forced to leave the area. The guerrilla command described the resistance in Gare as a historic event in which the HPG prevailed with its strength of will and creative tactics against the most modern weapons technology.

Footage of the failed occupation attempt

After the defeat of the Turkish army, the destruction caused by the bombardment and military material of the soldiers abandoned on the run are left behind. In Gare, guerrilla fighter Hogir Med points to split rocks, uprooted trees and the seized military items and reports on the places where particularly fierce battles took place.

After the heavy bombardment with dozens of fighter jets, the Turkish army wanted to drop soldiers from helicopters, Hogir Med tells: "This calculation did not work out. When the soldiers were to be airdropped, they met resistance from the guerrillas. The Turkish media has reported some officers killed, but this does not reflect the whole truth. The casualties were much higher. The Turkish state always wants to deceive the public and its own society with lies. Because it did not achieve its goal, it was claimed that it was only a local operation as a rehearsal for an invasion of Qandil. In this way, it wanted to cover up its failure."

The guerrilla also shows the prison camp and says, "Apparently a big massacre took place here, the captured soldiers were killed by their own people. At first, there was an attempt to present the prisoners as civilians, but that was not the truth."

Because the soldiers in the area could not hold out, the area was heavily bombed, Hogir Med recounts, pointing to bomb fragments lying around: "During the first air-dropping attempt, the army suffered losses and was shocked right away. The soldiers didn't know what to do. They could not hold on here. They were pressed by guerrilla resistance, so they had to resort to even more intense bombing. They used gas. The prisoners here have been killed by the gas and the bombardment. They have been executed so that the blame could be put on us. Our friends have responded to the use of weapons technology with the guerrilla tactics of the new era and dealt hard blows to the enemy. Fierce battles took place here for three days, and the guerrillas mounted great resistance. Our forces carried out actions everywhere and in the end the army had to withdraw from the area. With the guerrillas' new fighting style, the enemy will continue to be hit hard."

Hogir Med notes that the Turkish army has cut down trees to control the area. He points to sacks left behind, brought by the soldiers to build positions. Shovels, hoes and hatchets have also been left behind. The guerrillas did not give the soldiers an opportunity to build positions, Hogir says. Among the materials seized are gloves, gas cartridges, weapons magazines, gas masks, camouflage clothing, hand grenades, vests, canned food and first aid equipment.

"A cowardly enemy who cannot fight"

Guerrilla fighters Mîrkan Karker and Şoreş Zeryan talk about how they experienced the invasion operation. The attack began at three o'clock in the morning, says Karker: "All points were heavily bombed. More than ten bombs hit the place where we were. As guerrillas, we can say that it is not difficult to take protective measures against this. This is a problem for the state. When we left the area, there were close to ten reconnaissance drones overhead. We went against the enemy in groups. It is a cowardly enemy anyway, it cannot fight."

The area was bombarded by fighter jets and helicopters, the guerrilla fighter continues, "What we have seen here is the fact that even planes, helicopters, and drones cannot stand against the will of the guerrillas. We have seen the fear of the enemy. We have also seen the sacrifice of our friends."

Karker wears camouflage clothing. As he narrates, voices can sometimes be heard from his radio. He continues: "The soldiers wanted to encircle us, but instead we surrounded them. They couldn't escape and were fired on from all sides. A tremendous war has taken place in Gare. In this war, the willpower of the guerrillas has become very clear. With the enemy, we have seen that they have no will and no conviction."

Karker congratulates all the fighters who participated in the resistance in Gare. He refers to the fallen commander Şoreş Beytüşşebap, who was responsible for the POW camp: "When the enemy attacked a hill, Şoreş went against the enemy under the drones, helicopters and jets and drove the soldiers from the hill all by himself. We saw them running away. They had trusted in the air force and technology and relied on the support of traitors. They thought they could take Gare. Then they had to run away."

Karker goes on to tell how the Turkish army bombed the area to get a group of soldiers out. "Legends have been written here. Every single one of the four days was a legend. Despite the cold and limited capabilities, the guerrillas proved themselves to be a professional force," Karker continues.

The guerrillas did not even deploy all their forces in Gare, as the Turkish state has claimed: "Only some groups were struck. We finished them off. They didn't know where to flee to. We trust in our strength and in our will. We strengthen our will with the philosophy of Rêber Apo [Leader Öcalan]. The soldiers cannot stand against us. We heard their cries and searched for them inch by inch. They did not know where to hide. They can come with however many forces, we will always turn Gare into a hell for them. We surrounded them with twenty people and finished them off."

Karker recalls that one of the goals in the operation was to free the prisoners. "The prisoners had been with us for four, five years, why didn't we kill them? Everyone knows the PKK. With its ethical principles, it has become a global model. We are not like the Turkish state, we do not torture prisoners. Such treatment is out of the question for us. Everyone should listen to the accounts of the prisoners who were released earlier. This shows what the PKK has done. The prisoners have not been killed for years, why should they be killed now? The Turkish state has collapsed the camp on top of them. It has been bombed with over ten bombs. Gas has been used inside. The state has killed its own people. They were policemen, MIT members, traitors. They spilled the blood of our friends, but we still didn't kill them, we don't torture. Look at the soldiers, they were sometimes only ten meters away from us, insulting each other. What they said to each other was an unimaginable example of lack of ethics. There is torture in their prisons. The history of the Turkish state is well known, remember the Amed dungeon. We are not like the Turkish state, we are a political organization with ethical principles."

"Not a retreat, but an escape"

Guerrilla fighter Şoreş Zeryan was in an assault group during the Turkish occupation operation and tells how the Turkish soldiers, harassed by the guerrillas, took flight:

"In the morning, around three o'clock, the operation began in Gare with nearly forty jets and numerous drones. There were mainly airstrikes. We reached the area of operations under the reconnaissance flights and struck them. I was in an assault group. We went against the enemy in several groups. The enemy left their bodies behind and took flight. They could not counterattack. When they were encircled, they did not know where to flee. For this reason, the operation did not continue. It was not a retreat, they ran away. The bodies were left behind. As far as we have seen, among them were senior military officers. Despite constant reconnaissance flights and air strikes, it was not particularly difficult for the guerrilla to reach the area. It is a guerrilla area and we know it much better. In Siyanê there was a cave where there were prisoners. They were MIT people, soldiers, policemen and traitors who had the blood of our friends on their hands. They were all killed by their own people."

Πηγή:

Footage and accounts of guerrillas: What happened in ... - ANF

HPG: Chemical weapons used in Siyanê prison camp

HPG stated that chemical weapons were used in Siyanê camp where Turkish soldier prisoners were staying in Gare and said: "It's impossible to enter the camp because banned chemical weapons have been used.”

The People's Defence Forces (HPG) Press Center revealed that chemical weapons were used during the Turkish state’s military operation in the prison camp in Siyanê, Gare.

The HPG statement is as follows:

“We are trying to establish the results of the invasion attack in Gare, launched by the colonialist genocidal Turkish state between 10 and 14 February through our forces in the field.

Although the invading Turkish state suffered a heavy defeat on the ground, it still continues its air strikes against the Medya Defense Zones and especially the Gare region. These air strikes delay the establishment of facts.

Chemical weapons used in Siyanê

Our forces have reached this camp in order to understand clearly and concretely what happened in the camp where the [Turkish soldier] prisoners were held in the Siyanê area. However, although three days have passed, there is still a heavy smell of gas and chemicals in and around the prison camp. Since chemical weapons, which are banned within the scope of war crimes, were used by the fascist Turkish army, you cannot enter the camp. Probably everyone in this camp was shot after being killed by chemical gas. These are the first information we gathered.

Efforts to establish what exactly happened in the massacre carried out by the Turkish state against the prison camp continue. The clear and final results and the 4-day Gare clashes will be revealed to our patriotic people and the public in detail.

A guerrilla fell martyr in an air attack

In our statement dated 14 February 2021, we stated that between 11 pm on February 13 and 1 am on February 14, the vicinity of the village of Şikeftiyan village in Gare was bombed 5 times. Our comrade Gelhat Tolhıldan fell a martyr in this bombardment.

Under the leadership of the brave Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla, an epic resistance was displayed for 4 days against the invasion operation launched by the invading Turkish army against the Gare on February 10, 2021, and the Turkish army was defeated with a historical victory. Our comrade Gelhat Tolhildan joined the army of martyrs by playing his historical role in the Gara resistance, which resulted in a great military success.

Our comrade Gelhat, originally from Cizre, Botan's ancient city of resistance, was forced to migrate to one of Turkey’s big cities as a result of his village been burned by the colonial Turkish state as part of te genocide against the Kurdish people. Our comrade Gelhat, who grew up in an environment with a patriotic and insurgent tradition, got to know the practices of the genocidal Turkish state at an early age. He took part in youth activities by fighting against this murderous mentality since his youth. He joined the guerrilla in 2016, realizing that participating in the struggle in the free mountains against the attacks of the invading Turkish state which seeks to destroy the Kurdish people and the freedom guerilla was the only way of emancipation.

Especially in 2015-2016, the Self-Government Resistance that developed in Cizre, once again revealed the true genocidal face of the Turkish state which suffered a serious defeat and martyred our civilians by burning and murdering in the basements of Cizre and led our comrade Gelhat to participate in the guerilla.

We extend our condolences to all the people of Cizre and the patriotic people of Kurdistan, especially the precious family of our hero comrade, and we promise that we will certainly crown our freedom struggle from Bınevş Agals to Mehmet Tunç and Gelhats.

Air attacks continue

On 15 February, at 1 pm, the Xêrê mountain in Gare was bombed three times by fighter jets.

On 15 February, at 2 pm, the Kunişka area of the Zap region was bombed by fighter jets.

On 15 February between 1.20 pm and 1.40 pm, the Geliyê Avaşîn area was bombed four times with warplanes.

Πηγή:

HPG: Chemical weapons used in Siyanê prison camp - ANF

Call for investigation into use of chemical gas in Turkish operation in Gare

Despite the confession of the Turkish Minister of Defence and the accounts of PKK commander Murat Karayılan, the silence of international organizations including the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) catches the attention.

On February 22, 2021, Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Executive Council member Murat Karayılan spoke on the Kurdish television station Stêrk TV. He stated that the Turkish army used chemical gas in its attack on the Garê region in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) from February 10-14. In his statement, he called on international institutions to visit the region and investigate in this regard.

“If it had been summer or if there had been three to four hours of rainy, cloudy weather, not one soldier of the Turkish army would have survived. They would have all been annihilated. Nevertheless, the resistance of our friends resulted in a great defeat for the Turkish army. When it realized that it was encircled, it used chemical agents and took flight without a backward glance. From the Turkish army's point of view, it was a bitter defeat,” Karayılan said.

The top commander underlined that the military operation was not carried out to save the prisoners as the Turkish army wanted to settle in the middle of Gare. He said, “When the Turkish troops realized that they were surrounded, they had to retreat. Even a person with little military knowledge would realize that this operation makes no logical sense. After all, is it possible to liberate prisoners from an underground camp using bombs and poison gas? This is simply absurd. The attacks, as fierce as they have been, have been repelled by Commander Şoreş with counterattacks, forcing the Turkish army to withdraw from the camp. This scene was repeated dozens of times: Bombardments - attempted infiltration - retreat. In the end, chemical agents were used. To sum up, nothing has been done to save the POWs, on the contrary. All lethal weapons have been used.”

ANF footage from the ground also showed gas masks among the materials left behind by the Turkish troops during their withdrawal from the embattled area.

In an “information” speech in the parliament after the military operation, in which 13 Turkish POWs were also killed, Turkish Minister of National Defence, Hulusi Akar said “only tear gas” was used during the operation, which was actually a confession of the use of chemical gas.

Despite both the confession of the Turkish Minister of Defence and the accounts of Karayılan, the silence of international organizations including the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) catches the attention.

IPPNW (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War) Turkey Representative Gisela Penteker spoke to ANF on the subject and said that Turkey’s war against the Kurds is illegal in several respects under international law even without the use of chemical weapons.

Referring to previous allegations of similar cases in the region, Penteker said; “We know from experience with earlier reports of poison gas use, e.g. in Syria, how difficult it is to provide evidence on the ground. From the photos provided, a use can usually only be assumed. I myself only know what I have read about poison gas violations.”

Asked if she knew whether Turkey is in possession of chemical weapons, Penteker replied, “I do not know. However, I think it is possible, although it should not be within the framework of NATO. This unspeakable war of Turkey against the Kurds both in Turkey and in Syria and Iraq is in several respects illegal under international law even without the use of chemical weapons. The so-called Western community of values makes itself complicit.”

In the meantime, after the statements of Karayılan, ANF asked OPCW via mail on February 24 if the organisation would take action to investigate the allegations of chemical gas use by the Turkish army in Gare. OPCW is yet to reply.

OPCW’s close relations with Turkey came to light in the wake of the Turkish occupation of Gire Spi (Tal Abyad) and Serekaniye (Ras al-Ain) in October 2019. Amids repeated and louder calls for an international investigation into Turkish use of prohibited weapons during genocidal attacks, it came out on October 17, 2019 that the government of Turkey contributed €30,000 to a “special OPCW Trust Fund to support the project to upgrade the current OPCW Laboratory and Equipment Store”.

Κυριακή 28 Φεβρουαρίου 2021

Footage and accounts of guerrillas: What happened in ... - ANF

Call for investigation into use of chemical gas in Turkish ... - ANF

Σάββατο 27 Φεβρουαρίου 2021

Παρασκευή 26 Φεβρουαρίου 2021

Πέμπτη 25 Φεβρουαρίου 2021

Τετάρτη 24 Φεβρουαρίου 2021

Τρίτη 23 Φεβρουαρίου 2021

Δευτέρα 22 Φεβρουαρίου 2021