HPG claims the action in Artvin: Target was the military, not Kılıçdaroğlu

HPG has claimed yesterday's action in Artvin province, stating that guerrillas targeted a military convoy but they did not know that CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu was joining the convoy behind.

HPG Press Office released a statement about yesterday's armed action in the northern province of Artvin.

The statement says;

"On August 25, a guerrilla unit got prepared to hit a military convoy after receiving information about its passing route in Soğuksu hamlet on Artvin-Şavşat road. At 13:45, the guerrilla unit targeted and hit a vehicle of JÖH (gendarme special forces) members leading the convoy on this road. Although Turkish state reported 1 dead and 2 injuries as a result of the action, the exact number is higher as many more JÖH were killed as a result of effective strikes.

By no means did the guerrilla unit have any information in advance that it was the convoy of CHP Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. During the action it was noticed that the military vehicle was followed by a civilian convoy. The car in which Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was travelling was within the shot distance of our forces who did not open fire though. The action was definitively not aimed at the CHP and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as neither guerrillas in general nor local units do have such a plan. The target of the action was the security forces of the Turkish state. This action was carried out by Martyr Rizgar Vengeance Team and HBDH militants in response to the isolation imposed on Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan."