PKK Executive Committee member Murat Karayılan answered questions by Rosida Merdin for Sterk Tv yesterday evening.

Commenting on the 31st anniversary of the August 15, 1984 Initiative, Karayılan said the guerrilla forces of Kurdistan have become the hope of the Middle East peoples today. Karayılan pointed out that the guerrilla movement is currently going through a very tough process after 31 years of struggle against relentless attacks under the most challenging circumstances. He said guerrillas are experienced and have attained an unbreakable strength now.

“Were it not for the PKK guerrillas, there would be no Kurdisness left today. Our people would suffer the most merciless massacres. The most recent example is Shengal where there happened a savage massacre but our guerrillas saved 150 thousand people from ISIS gangs and hindered the biggest massacre of the century.”

'TURKISH STATE PROTECTING ISIS BY ATTACKING US'

Making striking assessments regarding the war concept put into effect by the Turkish state on July 24, Karayılan summarized the process since 2013 Newroz, and told the followings;

"We still abide by the message given by our Leader in 2013 Newroz, and we still maintain the same position. However, AKP ended the cease-fire by attacking us on the excuse of the killing in Ceylanpınar of two policemen by a group not precisely affiliated to us. However, they had already started a war against us before that. The Suruç massacre which claimed the lives of 32 young people was perpetrated by the state itself. AKP never stopped the war since 2013. We declared a cease-fire in North Kurdistan but AKP attacked Kurds in Rojava and declared a war against them over ISIS.

As is known by everyone, guerrilla has a role in the Rojava resistance. From Kirkuk and Shengal to Kobanê, guerrilla played a role in the fight against ISIS. By attacking the guerrilla, AKP wants to weaken us against ISIS and to relieve ISIS. The Turkish state doesn't want us to fight ISIS. AKP and ISIS have an ideological kinship. AKP wants to give the 'I am fighting ISIS' message to the world but nobody believes it. Everyone knows what Turkey is doing together with ISIS. Especially after the liberation of Tal Abyad, Jarablus and Raqqa remain at the target. ISIS will end if Raqqa falls. AKP intervened there because it knew this truth very well and now it is trying to hinder the YPG's advance to the other side of the Euphrates. They are engaged in an agreement with ISIS and intending to protect ISIS by attacking us."

'THEY WILL PAY A HEAVY PRICE'

Karayılan pointed out that AKP made the biggest mistake in its history by launching the attacks of July 24, adding; "Turkish President Erdoğan is gambling. The Turkish state is having talks with Leader Apo [Öcalan] in İmralı for three months with an aim to make him take steps backward. Leader Apo is, however, resisting. This is a battle of will. They want to weaken us and have Leader Apo make concessions. They want us to surrender but we are not so unfledged to do so. We are waging a fight of will, we are experienced and we know very well what to do. They made a very big mistake by attacking us, and thus disregarding the efforts made by Leader Apo for a solution. They will pay a very heavy price for that."

'TURKISH ARMY SUFFERED MORE THAN 250 CASUALTIES DURING THE CONFLICT OF LAST 19 DAYS'

Speaking about the attacks of the Turkish state on guerrilla areas, Karayılan described the attacks as "quite literally a failure", adding; "They claim to have hit 400 points during a night. 11 comrades of ours fell a martyr in Medya Defense Zones so far, and 11 others in Bakur (North) Kurdistan, and most of them were involved in actions of self-sacrifice. In addition, they massacred eight civilians in Zergelê village. We have 30 martyrs in total, and that many wounded. However, the Turkish state is covering up its casualties. We are not willing to kill but they have suffered more than 250 casualties during this conflict of the past 19 days, according to the documented information we have. They announced only 24 casualties. They are telling a lie."

THERE IS AN ATTACK BEING WAGED ON US

Remarking that guerrillas have manifested self-defense during this period of war, Karayılan also answered the calls for a cease-fire; "There is an attack being waged on us, with the other side intending to "destroy" us. We are defending ourselves. Our fight continues in a planned and controlled way. I need to state that we haven't put a war plan into effect yet. We are just conducting retaliatory actions. Yet, I should also say that they will pay a heavy price for what they have done to us."

Karayılan continued, addressing the following remarks to all the relevant forces and circles calling for a ceasefire from the Kurdish Freedom Movement, the U.S. in the first place; "It is not us that started the war. Erdoğan has recently announced that they will continue their attacks until no single person is left. We are resisting for a solution. If there starts a sincere and serious process of negotiation, we are ready for that. Yet, this requires the improvement of Leader Apo's conditions for negotiations, and an official and consolidated bilateral ceasefire. In addition, a monitoring committee needs to be established to follow this process, and to determine which side has started the war. A process like the former one will, however, have no meaning."

Pointing out that the Kurdish freedom movement appreciates the calls for a solution and ceasefire, Karayılan said Erdoğan rejects the calls for peace, and suggested that pressure for a solution should primarily be put on Ankara rather than the Kurdish movement.

'PEOPLE SHOULD DEFEND THEMSELVES'
Commenting on the attacks of security forces on civilians, Karayılan said people should defend themselves without expecting the guerrilla to protect them. "Guerrillas can protect the people by means of retaliatory actions but thousands of civilians should also be able to protect themselves. Guerrillas are in the mountains, not in the cities. Just a group of professional guerrillas carried out an action and killed six members of special operations teams in retaliation for the massacre in Silopi. There are no other guerrillas in the cities. The people should not allow police to enter their neighborhoods and streets because police forces commit massacres and kill children when entering their areas."

Regarding the actions of self-sacrifice in Pozantı and Sultanbeyli, Karayılan said they don't have a daily contact with the units affiliated to the 'Brigade of the Immortal', and disapproved such actions which -he said- should be replaced by actions aiming to achieve a result and avoid self-sacrifice and death.