Kurdistan Freedom Guerrillas carried out the Şehîd (Martyr) Doğa Viyan Revolutionary Operation in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) on February 17. The operation, named after the YJA-Star guerrilla Doğa Viyan who died last October, was directed against the Turkish occupation forces in the Girê Cûdî resistance area in the western Zap region.

During the course of the operation, guerrillas stormed the positions of the Turkish army at Girê Cûdî, confiscated large quantities of weapons and destroyed the remaining equipment. During the operation, 37 Turkish soldiers were killed, including a captain and several non-commissioned officers, while HPG guerrilla Şervan Varto fell a martyr.

The Headquarters Command of the People's Defense Center (HSM) issued a congratulatory message to the fighters who took part in the operation, saying: "First of all, we greet you, dear comrades, who participated in the revolutionary operation Şehîd Doğa Viyan with Apoist sacrifice and great courage, with the sincerest revolutionary feelings. We commemorate with respect and gratitude the valuable Apoist comrade Şervan Varto, who bravely fought and died in the revolutionary operation. In his person we remember all our martyrs."

‘The Turkish occupying army was dealt a devastating blow’

The statement continued: "On February 17, the enemy base in the Girê Cûdî resistance area in the Zap region was completely conquered by your revolutionary operation. (...) The Şehîd Doğa Viyan Revolutionary Operation was carried out with great determination for the offensive, fearlessly, with great creativity, mastery of tactics and great professionalism. The Turkish occupying army was dealt a devastating blow. At the enemy base, 37 invading soldiers, including a commander with the rank of captain and his non-commissioned officers, were killed and dozens of weapons and military equipment were confiscated. In addition, everything else in the enemy base was set on fire and destroyed. The Şehîd Doğa Viyan Revolutionary Operation has gone down in the history of our struggle as another important link in the successful guerrilla offensive of the current phase."

The HSM further stated: "To carry out such a successful revolutionary operation on the anniversary of the international conspiracy is very significant and appropriate. Your revolutionary operation has revealed very great success and speed, showing once again that the Apoist freedom guerrillas can conquer and completely destroy positions wherever they target, without any obstacle or technique standing in their way.

We congratulate all the commanders and fighters who masterfully carried out the Şehîd Doğa Viyan Revolutionary Operation with great intelligence, tactical skill, planning, patience, perfect timing in the Apoist spirit of self-sacrifice. We congratulate everyone who participated in the operation at every stage, and we sincerely believe that you will add more success to your results by gaining even more tactical depth and being even more competent in creativity.

‘The army and regime tried to hide the historic defeat’

Despite the fact that you carried out such an effective revolutionary operation and completely overran and conquered the enemy base, the Turkish occupation army and the special war media of the fascist regime tried to hide the historic defeat from everyone. Although the army suffered 37 casualties, only one death was announced. They acted blind, deaf and dumb, as if nothing had happened. Such behavior of the occupying army and the fascist AKP/MHP regime reveals how fragile, weak and hard-pushed it is. For the regime is at a point where it can neither admit to itself nor explain to the public that the war policy and genocidal concept have failed.

Although the Turkish occupying state, the fascist regime and its special war media are trying to hide the truth, the revolutionary operation that you, dear comrades, have documented with great effort will be published with all the facts. Then everyone will understand that a thousand lies can do nothing against one truth."