At least 8 soldiers killed in Dersim

Guerrillas hit Turkish soldiers in three separate areas in Dersim, which left at least 8 soldiers dead.

HPG Press Office reported that guerrillas carried out actions against Turkish soldiers in Dersim region between May 15 and 19.

On May 19, guerrilas hit a Turkish military unit they had put under surveillance for one day. In the action carried out at 11:15 in the morning, two soldiers were killed and one emplacement of theirs was destroyed. The dead and wounded soldiers were retrieved from the scene with armored vehicles.

On May 14, guerrillas placed a disguised unit of the Turkish army in Dokuzkayalar region of Dersim and hit this unit in Hakis region on May 15. Strikes at close range left 6 soldiers dead and 4 others wounded. The dead and wounded soldiers were then retrieved from the area with Sikorsky helicopters. HPG said the action was carried out in memory of the guerrillas martyred in Dersim.

In the afternoon of May 17, a guerrilla by the name of Mahir Muş, acting with personal initiative, seized a civilian car and started to move towards the police checkpoint in Dersim city center for an action. He was noticed by Turkish forces while on his way, engaged in a clash with them and got wounded. He later detonated the bomb on him to not be captured, and fell a martyr.

Turkish troops launched an operation in Dokuzkayalar, Bezik, Zilan and Arpa Çukuru areas with the support of Cobra type helicopters at 06:30 on May 15. The operation was retreated in the evening of May 17 without yielding results.

At 09:00 on May 19, guerrillas targeted the soldiers stationed on Çeperê Şêxa hill under control of the Çığlı (Aşut) outpost in Hakkari’s Çelê (Çukurca) district. While many emplacements were hit, the number of soldiers killed or wounded here couldn't be clarified.