In the second part of this interview with ANF, HPG Commander Fazıl Şevger said that the guerrilla drew its strength and determination from Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan].

The first part of this interview can be read here.

When the action on 15 August occurred, there were various forces in Kurdistan. What attitude did these forces take towards this historic step?

The 15 August uprising caused great fear among the collaborators and traitors. Therefore, these forces initially wanted to prevent the movement. They did not want the party to spread throughout Kurdistan. They tried all methods. After the armed struggle began, they tried to stop the resistance. The KDP and the Barzani clan were particularly in charge of this. They continued uninterruptedly on this path.

Since then, there have been many changes in the Kurdish freedom movement. What were these changes and what were the results?

The war was started in 1984 despite all the adversities. Since guerrilla warfare was a new type of warfare in the Middle East, there was a lack of experience. The guerrilla drew its strength and determination from Rêber Apo and trusted the people. The people saw the guerrilla as a part of them and supported them with all their strength. In view of the lack of material resources, the Apoist ideas and philosophy of the guerrilla movement offered a great opportunity. The Kurdish freedom movement repelled all the enemy's attacks. The enemy was defeated by the guerrillas. The guerrillas spread to the four parts of Kurdistan and the Kurdish youth went to the free mountains. With the development of science and technology, a new era of warfare began. It was clear that the guerrilla would renew itself in this age.

It was no longer possible to continue with the old methods. The guerrillas recreated themselves on the basis of democratic modernity. They deepened ideologically, diversified tactically and specialized in technical aspects. Today the guerrillas thwart enemy attacks both from the air and on the ground. With its tunnel warfare and mobile units, the guerrilla has defeated the enemy. A state supported by the full strength of NATO has not been able to take a peak held by the freedom guerrilla in the past three years. This war is a new era in the history of humanity. The enemy is waging a dirty war against our people and Rêber Apo at all levels.

Rêber Apo has been isolated for years. No information has been received about him for more than three years. Such vileness has never been seen in the history of humanity. All kinds of dirty and inhuman methods are being used against the Kurdish people. Despite this, the Kurdish people are not giving up. Every day, chemical, thermo-baric and nuclear weapons are used against the freedom fighters in the mountains of Kurdistan, but the enemy is stuck in the mountains of Kurdistan and cannot move a step. In contrast, the guerrillas have made great progress in the field.

The KDP and the Barzani clan are representatives of the collaborationist line. How have they reacted to the guerrillas' progress?

Betrayal and collaboration have played an extremely negative role against the resistance, both then and now. From the beginning of the freedom movement to today, collaborators have always sided with the enemy and were the first to attack us. Stêrka Sor was the first group to attack us. Comrade Haki Karer was murdered by these traitors. Rêber Apo exposed all these traitorous and unscrupulous forces in his own way. The traitorous line was condemned among the Kurds. The traitorous forces were crushed. The Barzani clan has been repeating the same thing over and over since the KDP was founded. Rêber Apo has written letters and spoken to the Barzani family dozens of times, telling them: ‘Don't oppose us, we will help you in whatever you need. Let's fight together,’ but the Barzani family was not for national unity. They sided with the enemy. They took on the task of eliminating the Kurdish freedom movement. They swore that no one would ever fire a bullet at the fascist Turkish state. They have their hands in the blood of Kurdish children. Many pioneers of the Kurdish people were massacred by them.

The guerrillas are fighting in North Kurdistan and in the Medya Defense Areas. How can the guerrillas make such progress in the face of Turkish attacks on the one hand and the KDP's betrayal on the other?

We have been waging a very comprehensive war since 2015. For nine years, we have been in a permanent war in all four parts of Kurdistan. This is especially true in the Medya Defense Areas. We are fighting with all our strength to protect the honor and dignity of our people. The Turkish state has attacked us with all its might. Of course, we have had martyrs, but we have defended Kurdistan with the blood of our martyrs and the enemy has not been successful so far. In all regions that the Turkish state wants to invade, there are battles between the enemy and the guerrillas. At the end of these nine years, the fascist AKP-MHP clique has been defeated. The Turkish army attacks with the most advanced and with prohibited weapons, but it is unable to act against the apoist Fedaiyin. Therefore, the Turkish state is trying to achieve results by using ISIS and the KDP.

If the KDP had not helped, the Turkish state would have already accepted its defeat. We are the children of this country and the Turkish army cannot therefore defend itself against the guerrillas in the mountains of Kurdistan. Now the KDP has also become part of the Kurdish genocide. Our movement makes statements on this issue every day. The KDP and the Barzani family have become the mouthpiece of Erdoğan and Bahçeli. Parastin has become part of the MIT. The KDP-affiliated press has become the special war press of the AKP-MHP regime. They have all completely submitted to the Turkish state. They want to destroy the PKK with all their might. They want to defame our party, but in the 51 years of our struggle, the Kurdish people have developed an awareness, they know right and wrong.

How will the freedom fighters of Kurdistan behave in the face of the total war against the guerrillas and the Kurdish people?

Today, the freedom movement has a very important role and task. It has taken on the task of fighting for freedom for all oppressed peoples. The guerrillas know their role and mission and are convinced that they will fulfill this historic task. The eyes of humanity are on the resistance of the freedom guerrilla, Rêber Apo and Kurdistan. Our enemy knows that if we are defeated, the hope of all oppressed peoples will be broken. All hegemonic powers and so-called human rights institutions support the Turkish occupation state. In order for the Kurdistan freedom guerrilla to fulfill this task as soon as possible and end Rêber Apo's isolation, all young people should turn to the free mountains. The Kurdish people, the peoples of the Middle East and the world, revolutionary movements, women's movements, workers, artists and all freedom forces must rally around Rêber Apo.

Finally, is there anything else you would like to tell the Kurdish people?

Everyone knows how Rêber Apo built the struggle from the ground up. He freed the Kurdish people from the grip of genocide and made them a fighting people. We are waging every kind of struggle to realize our historical goals and to physically liberate Rêber Apo. We are preparing for victory over the fascist and genocidal enemy. As Rêber Apo's fighters, we will rebuild the Kurdish people's revolution and, come what may, live in a free country with Rêber Apo. Once again, we welcome 15 August. I pay tribute to all the martyrs of Kurdistan with great respect.