Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) peshmerga Kerim Xalidi was wounded in Xinêre and gave the following statement: “There was nobody to tend to our wounds. Guerrillas carried us to the area under their control and bandaged our wounds. They took care of us.”

Between May 10 and 24, peshmergas from the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan wanted to enter territories where PKK (Kurdistan Worker's Party) guerrillas had already been positioned. During these 15 days, PKK carried out three meetings in order to prevent an armed conflict, and the peshmergas finally passed through PKK territories by saying that they will go to East Kurdistan. However, they positioned on a hill across from PKK forces instead and said that they would rather fight the PKK instead of leaving their new position.

Peshmergas also attempted to infiltrate PKK lines and shot at guerrillas with automatic rifles. Guerrillas responded to these attacks by force but also sent envoys to the peshmergas to say that they did not want any conflict and would stop shooting as soon as the peshmerga kept their promise to continue on to East Kurdistan. However, these calls were unanswered and the guerrillas drove out the peshmergas in a fight that wounded 4 peshmergas, one of whom was heavily wounded. After this attack, peshmerga forces finally withdrew and the wounded peshmergas were treated by the PKK guerrillas.

GUERRILLA DOCTORS TREATED THE PESHMERGAS

Guerrilla doctor Kendal Urfa carried out the first treatment on the wounded peshmergas, whose delivery to the PKK camp was delayed because of the distance between the camp and clash site. Urfa stated that one of the peshmergas was heavily wounded and they did everything they could to save him.

Guerrillas were able to treat the other 3 peshmergas who are not in any critical condition now, but the heavily wounded peshmerga passed away.

WOUNDED PESHMERGA EXPLAINS THE ISSUE

Kerim Xalidi is from the Piranşar city of Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan), has been a peshmerga for the past 5 years, and was wounded in the conflict. Here are his statements on the issue: “We have been in Kandil and Xinêre for the past 15 days. A group of twenty peshmergas including me was brought here for an operation. There were other groups too but they were to join us later. For three days, guerrillas and our commanders carried out meetings. I do not know the content of these meetings but they ended with such a confrontation. Three of my friends and I were wounded and there was nobody to tend to our wounds. Guerrillas carried us to the area under their control and bandaged our wounds. They took care of us.”

PESHMERGAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE AREA

After the confrontation, guerrillas convinced the remaining 16 peshmergas to come to their camp. Here, peshmergas were fed and prepared for their departure by the guerrillas. For the peshmergas’ safe departure, vehicles were arranged and later escorted from the area by the guerrillas. Lastly, an ambulance was arranged to pick up the deceased peshmerga.