HPG: 18 soldiers were killed in revolutionary operation in Metîna

HPG and YJA Star guerrillas continue inflicting heavy blows on the Turkish occupation army on the 45th founding anniversary of the PKK.

In its daily statement about the ongoing war in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq), the Press Centre of the People's Defence Forces (HPG) reported that at least eighteen members of the Turkish occupying forces were killed in a guerrilla operation in Metîna on 26 November.

According to the HPG, the revolutionary operation named after the fallen guerrilla commander Leyla Sorxwîn was directed against the Turkish troops in the Girê Çarçel Resistance Area and was carried out in the form of a multi-front attack. The guerrillas involved in the operation struck the occupiers from five sides simultaneously and initially infiltrated the soldiers' camp. The action resulted in the death of twelve occupiers. Reinforcement troops moving up were also targeted by the guerrilla units and six of them were caught in a deadly ambush.

HPG stated that the revolutionary operation was carried out to mark the 45th anniversary of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which was founded 45 years ago today by Abdullah Öcalan and a group of friends in a village near Amed (tr. Diyarbakır).

HPG emphasised that the Turkish state is concealing the actual extent of its losses in this operation and that only three soldiers have been reported killed in Turkey's biased media. In addition, HPG stated that they have confiscated various weapons and military equipment from the occupying forces that were killed. In addition to an BKC machine gun and a grenade launcher, the guerrillas also seized several infantry rifles, ammunition, a satellite telephone as well as several mobile phones, night vision devices, knives, backpacks and a detector.

HPG also provided information about further actions carried out by the guerrillas against invading troops.  Accordingly, guerrillas hit the helicopters flying over the Girê Çarçel Resistance Area on 25 November evening.

The guerrillas struck the Turkish troops in the Şehîd Delîl Western Zap region at least ten times on 24 and 25 November. Two soldiers were shot dead and one military position was damaged as a result of strikes by guerrilla snipers.

Regarding the attacks by the Turkish army, HPG stated that their defence positions in Girê Çarçel were attacked twice with explosive drones and chemical warfare agents. In Sîda, which is located in the Zap region, HPG recorded an attack with unconventional explosive devices. In addition, the guerrillas registered numerous attacks by combat aircraft. Five air strikes hit the surrounding areas of the villages of Bilindbazê, Bêbadê, Mîranê and Şêlazê in the Gare region, while two attacks targeted the Girê Bahar resistance area in Zap and two attacks were directed at Ava Lolanê and Goşînê in Xakurke. The Turkish army also carried out tank and artillery attacks in the regions of Zap, Metîna and Xakurke.