NEWS CENTER – NEWS CENTER – Since the beginning of the invasion of the Turkish occupation soldiers, the press center of the HPG (People’s Defense Forces) has been informing the public in daily reports about the attacks and war crimes of the Turkish occupation soldiers and the actions carried out by the guerrillas of the Freedom of Kurdistan. Our news agency has evaluated the published reports since the beginning of the invasion until six months (April 14 to October 16), regarding the war crimes with chemical weapons, phosphorus bombs and tactical nuclear bombs against the guerrillas. In the six-month period, according to the HPG data, phosphorus bombs, thermobaric bombs, tactical nuclear bombs and chemical weapons alone were used 2476 times against the resistance areas of the Kurdistan Freedom guerrillas.
2. PROCESS –(CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES OPERATIONS, ACCORDING TO THE REPORTS OF THE HPG)
In the first balance sheet issued by the HPG regarding the invasion attacks by the Turkish occupying state, attacks with prohibited weapons, in this case chemical weapons, were already reported. The weekly balance sheet, released on April 24 after the invasion began on April 14 with massive bombardments in the region, stated:
- “The invasion operation initially began with intensified airstrikes on April 14. The Turkish occupation army attempted to deploy its soldiers to the guerrilla areas with helicopters on the night of April 17, accompanied by the bombardment of attack helicopters.”
Regarding the use of chemical weapons, the HPG already stated in the first report:
- “The combat positions of our forces were bombed 7 times with chemical gases.”
Since then, the use of banned weapons has been reported in every HPG report so far, which are delivered daily. May 17, 2022 was one of the highlights of chemical weapons attacks. The HPG reported one day later, on May 18:
- “The Turkish army’s forced invasion is constantly and intensively using chemical weapons against the guerrillas’ war positions and tunnels. The use of chemical weapons, which the Turkish army resorts to dozens of times every day, is not an ordinary attack, this should not be normalized by anyone and this war crime should not be considered normal. No matter what the Turkish occupation army applies, it will never be able to break the historical resistance of the guerrillas and the Fedaî will of the Apoyî. On May 17 alone, chemical weapons were used 44 times against the fighting positions and tunnels in the resistance zones.”
On June 10, the HPG press center reported not only the use of chemical weapons, but also explosives. With these explosives, the Turkish occupation army is trying to blow up the war tunnels where the guerrillas are located after chemical weapons were used in the tunnels. HPG reported as follows:
- “At 13:00 on June 9, the war tunnels in the Şikefta Birîndara resistance area were bombed three times, and the war tunnels in the Karker resistance area were bombed twice with explosives.
- On June 9, from 11:00 to 18:00, Şehid Hewrê war tunnels in Şehid Şahin resistance zone were bombed 16 times with explosives.
- Between 15:20 and 18:00 on June 9, the war tunnels in the Werxelê resistance zone were bombed seven times with chemical weapons.”
As the invasion operation continues, aimed at destroying the guerrillas by whatever means, the HPG press center has continued to document the attacks of the Turkish occupation soldiers and the course of the invasion offensive in daily reports. While the HPG has repeatedly reported the use of chemical weapons and poisonous gases, as well as explosives, it stated in the two-month report of June 14, 2022:
- “The Turkish army is helpless against our resistance in the war tunnels and positions. Therefore, it resorted to the dirtiest methods and used chemical weapons and explosives 779 times. These acts are war crimes.”
The HPG’s record a month later, in July, also reports the use of thermobaric bombs and tactical nuclear weapons:
- “Against the self-sacrificing resistance of our forces, chemical weapons were used 1198 times, as well as tactical nuclear weapons and thermobaric bombs. Thus, the international law of war was violated in the most serious way.”
However, on July 11, the HPG press center also reported for the first time that phosphorus bombs had been used against guerrilla positions:
- “On July 10 at 12:50 p.m., the Turkish occupation army bombed the fighting positions in the Şikefta Birîndara resistance area with phosphorus bombs and explosives.”
Three days later, on July 14, the HPG reported that phosphorus bombs had been used nine times against the guerrilla areas.
- “On July 10, 11 and 12, the Turkish occupation army brutally attacked the war tunnels in the Kokerê resistance area, used chemical weapons and carried out very violent explosions. Unable to break the resistance of our comrades in the Kokerê resistance area with the spirit of the apoist Fedai, the dishonest Turkish army used a forbidden thermobaric bomb against the fighting positions, which is also considered a war crime.
- On July 13, the war tunnels in the resistance area of Şikefta Birîndara were bombed three times with chemical weapons and explosives, mainly phosphorus bombs.
- On July 13, war positions in the Girê Amediyeê Girê FM and Girê Cûdî resistance areas were bombed four times with chemical weapons and explosives.
- On July 13, the Werxelê resistance area was bombed twice with chemical weapons.”
Since then, reports of the use of prohibited weapons of war, such as chemical weapons and poisonous gases, thermobaric bombs, phosphorus bombs and tactical nuclear weapons have been accumulating. After three months of fierce clashes, the HPG, on July 15, 2022, balances the war crimes of the Turkish occupying state with the following words, drawing attention to the attitude of NATO, which supports the massacre of the Freedom Kurdistan guerrillas with weapons:
“The Turkish invading army has shelled the resistance areas tens of thousands of times with howitzers and mortars, bombed them with attack helicopters and warplanes and used the weapons provided by NATO. In spite of all this, as well as the fact that the Turkish army tried to cover its back with Kurdish collaborators, the resistance of our defense forces could not be broken and the Turkish army suffered the tactical standstill. The Turkish army tried to overcome this stalemate by widening the scope of the invasion. (…) In the face of this, the Turkish army, disregarding all laws of war, bombed our positions in the resistance areas with chemical weapons over a thousand times and used massive demolitions. Despite all these attacks, the Turkish army could not achieve any success. Therefore, it now resorted to thermobaric bombs and phosphorus bombs and attacked the guerrilla positions with them.”
Further, the HPG press center reports that since the beginning of the invasion until this time (i.e. within three months), war crimes were committed against the guerrillas 1198 times and states:
- “Chemical weapons, as well as tactical nuclear weapons and thermobaric bombs, have been used 1198 times against the self-sacrificing resistance of our forces. Thus, the international law of war was violated in the most serious way.”
In the HPG’s fourth assessment, released on August 17, the HPG specifically addresses the silence of the international hegemonic powers, stating:
- “The international hegemonic powers are silent because of their interests and there are too few reactions from the public and relevant institutions. The war crimes of the Turkish army, which we have documented and proved publicly, are as clear as day. We believe that everyone with conscience and responsibility should show the necessary reaction now. The fascist AKP-MHP regime is committing these war crimes in the name of the peoples of Turkey, leaving them all under a stigma. For this reason, Turkish society should react and stand against it the most.”
Further, HPG also criticized the lack of reaction within the population and made the following clear:
- “Although the massacres of civilians and the reckless use of chemical weapons and tactical nuclear weapons against the Kurdish freedom guerrillas are taking place quite openly, there are no sufficient protests against the Turkish state that is openly committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is a historic patriotic task for our people and the true friends of our people to take a stand and protest more effectively. Thus, we must assume our own responsibility and complement the guerrilla resistance.”
HPG states that in the past four months, the Turkish occupying state used chemical weapons and tactical nuclear weapons 1532 times and the number of war crimes keeps increasing.
- “On August 22, the HPG reported the massive use of tactical nuclear and chemical weapons, as well as phosphorus bombs, stating:
- On August 21, combat positions in the Şikefta Birîndara resistance area were bombed 26 times with phosphorus bombs.
- On August 21, the fighting positions in the resistance areas of Şikefta Birîndara, Çemço, Saca, Girê Amediyê and Girê Cûdî were bombed eight times with tactical nuclear bombs and chemical weapons.”
In the five-month balance sheet, HPG stated that the Turkish occupying state with its accomplices and through the support of NATO as a whole, has used chemical weapons and tactical nuclear weapons 2,004 times since the beginning of the invasion against the Medya Defense Areas and draws attention to the fact that the number of war crimes committed by the fascist AKP-MHP government continues to increase. Literally, the fifth month’s balance sheet states:
- “The trenches and war tunnels of our armed forces were bombed with internationally banned bombs (phosphorus bomb, thermobaric bomb and tactical nuclear bomb) and chemical weapons 2004 times.”
Further, the HPG stated:
- “To achieve its goal, the Turkish state ruthlessly used every war technology at its disposal against the conflict areas. From fighter planes to drones, from attack helicopters to all kinds of tanks, guns and armored vehicles, it set everything in motion. Every day, it rained bombs on resistance areas hundreds of times. From contract soldiers to commandos, from gangs to contras, from elite units to special forces, he mobilized all the official and paramilitary forces at his disposal to achieve results against the guerrillas. This time, after failing to achieve results through these means, everything from toxic gases to phosphorus bombs, from thermobaric bombs to tactical nuclear bombs, chemical weapons and internationally banned bombs were used against the tunnels and battle positions. To achieve its goal, the Turkish state committed war crimes in 2004 and these crimes were documented by our forces.”
As of the September 15, 2022, balance sheet, the HPG Press Center no longer provides information on the use of tactical nuclear bombs, instead referring to “high-intensity banned bombs” or “banned bombs” and chemical weapons. However, the use of chemical agents and banned bombs has not abated but continues.
The HPG’s daily published reports make clear details of the ongoing war crimes against the guerrillas. For example, in its September 27 report, the HPG made clear that combat positions in the Girê FM, Saca resistance area and Şehid Felat combat positions in the Sîda resistance area were bombed 16 times with prohibited bombs and chemical weapons on September 26. In the same report, the HPG also elaborates on the background of the massive attacks, stating:
- “The fact that the guerrillas, the hope of all oppressed peoples, have reached a level that threatens defeat to the Turkish invading army and by providing an alternative to the established systems of these hegemonic states. These states are afraid. Therefore, the Turkish army is allowed to use internationally outlawed bombs and chemical weapons while providing all kinds of technical support to the Turkish occupying state. The Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla, which resists all attacks with great self-sacrifice and courage, will continue this resistance until the end, even if it has its price.”
After the HPG reported on September 28 that 27 times the resistance areas were attacked with chemical weapons and bombs on September 27, a highly professional fedai action by the two guerrilla fighters Sara Tolhildan and Rûken Zelal took place in Mersin on the night of September 29. With this action, the two Fedaî fighters showed the new line of action against the war crimes of the Turkish occupying army and the international silence.
After the Turkish occupying state was massively scared by this action, the war crimes against the guerrillas in Medya defense areas continued anyway. According to the September 30 HPG report, the Çemço, Saca and Sîda resistance areas were attacked 26 times with banned bombs and chemical weapons on September 29.
Another peak of war crimes was revealed in the HPG report of 03 October, reporting that the Turkish occupation army used chemical weapons, pepper gas and banned bombs 31 times against the guerrillas. The 05 October report spoke of 25 such attacks and the 07 October report disclosed 23 such war crimes.
On 12 October, 27 such attacks were reported by the HPG and on 15 October, the HPG made it clear one more time that the war crimes of the Turkish occupation army continue with the support of NATO. On October 14, guerrilla resistance areas were attacked 36 times with banned bombs and chemical weapons.
In the balance sheet of October 17, in which the HPG subsumes the invasion operations that have been going on for six months, the HPG stated that banned bombs and chemical weapons were used 2478 times against the guerrillas of the Kurdistan Freedom in the resistance areas. In this regard, the balance sheet states:
- “The war tunnels and positions of our forces were bombed 2476 times with internationally outlawed bombs (phosphorus bombs, thermobaric bombs, tactical nuclear bombs) and chemical weapons.”
The HPG also reported that 153 Şehid guerrilla fighters have been martyred since the beginning of the invasion. This information was supplemented by the NPG’s statement on October 18 announcing 17 guerrilla fighters killed by chemical weapons attacks. In total, 44 guerrilla fighters have died as a result of these war crimes since April 14, 2022 to October 18, 2022, which are aimed at destroying the freedom movement and the Kurdish people, in contrast to which the fallen guerrillas fought heroically and with the utmost sacrifice under the most difficult conditions.
Will continue tomorrow in the topic “USED WEAPONS – A brief explanation”
