People's Defense Central Command (HSM) said in a written statement that the Turkish army carried out a strike against guerrilla positions yesterday despite the guerrillas being involved in no activities.

HSM underlined that; “Within the scope of the right of self defence, our guerrilla forces will defend themselves and retaliate against any attack by Turkish state forces.”

HSM said the bombardment was carried out on the excuse by the Turkish General Staff that “HPG forces opened mortar fire on Oramar Regiment”, and described the statement as a distortion of the truth. HSM recalled that for the last two months, mainly the Turkish troops deployed at Oramar Regiment have continuously have violated the rules of ceasefire by conducting mortar, howitzer, tank and artillery attacks.

The statement by HSM reported that troops at Oramar Regiment opened mortar and antiaircraft artillery fires on guerrilla positions in the region on June 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17 and 29, and that guerrilla forces responded to these attacks with mortar and dushka fires several times.

HSM said that most recently, troops at Oramar Regiment opened tank, artillery and dushka fires on guerrilla positions at the night and in the morning of June 30, to which guerrillas responded with heavy artillery, using their right to retaliate. HSM stated that following this response, warplanes carried out a strike against a number of targets in the area for 4 hours.

"Guerrillas were involved no military activity apart from responding to the evidently ongoing attacks of Turkish military forces", HSM emphasised and added that from now on, guerrilla forces will defend themselves and retaliate against any attack by Turkish state forces within the scope of the right of self defence.