HPG Press Office announced that the Cougar type helicopter transporting the coordination forces of the operation on Besta and Kato mountains by the Turkish army on May 31 was fired on by a HPG unit stationed in the area.

HPG Press Office announcement is as follows:

“On May 31, the Cougar type helicopter transporting the coordination forces of the invading Turkish army’s operation on Besta and Kato mountains was fired on by one of our units stationed in the area as it was making its way over Sêgirkê (Şenoba) region in Şırnak’s Uludere district. The helicopter was hit and was downed during the attempt to move away from the area.”

The helicopter downed by HPG guerillas on May 31 was transporting the coordinating cadre of the operation on Besta and Kato mountains. The passengers onboard were: Major General Aydoğan Aydın, Colonel Oğuzhan Küçükdemir, Colonel Gökhan Peker, Captain Songül Yakut, Major Koray Onay, Captain İlker Acar, Captain Nuri Şener, Staff Sergeant Mehmet Erdoğan, Specialist Sergeant Zeki Koç, Pilot Sergeant Serhat Sığınak, Pilot Lieutenant Abdülmuttalip Kesikbaş, Staff Sergeant Fevzi Kıral and Pilot Specialist Sergeant Hakan İncekal.