BEHDINAN – ANF
HPG Press Office announced the results of the Turkish military operation, clashes and guerrilla actions around Mount Tendürek.
The detailed statement by HPG recalled that Turkish army had started an expansive operation with the participation of thousands of soldiers in the area of Mount Tendürek located between Van’s Çaldıran district and Ağrı’s Doğubeyazıt district on August 30.
HPG said the operation was carried out with bombardments by howitzers, mortars and tanks on the ground and helicopters and fighters jets on the air.
HPG underlined that the operation aimed at an annihilation of guerrilla forces in the area, but it has failed and Turkish army has suffered heavy losses.
UNIT OF SELF-SACRIFICE DESTROYED THE OPERATION COMMAND
HPG statement remarked that the operation was launched on August 30 with mortar, howitzer and tank bombardments in addition to the military forces deployed in a number of locations across the rural area within the operation zone.
At 06:30 on September 1, guerrillas hit the soldiers entering the operation zone, which left 7 soldiers dead and 8 others wounded.
Guerrillas later fastened the emplacement of the military unit commanding and coordinating the operation, and a unit of self-sacrifice carried out an action against this point where high-ranking soldiers were positioned. One first lieutenant and two lieutenants were killed here. HPG guerrilla named Mahir, who was leading the unit, lost his life during a clash with soldiers in another disguised emplacement. Guerrillas later hit this emplacement as well, as a result of which 3 more soldiers were killed. The number of wounded soldiers couldn’t be clarified.
DOZENS OF SOLDIERS ENCIRCLED AND KILLED
At 10:00, guerrilla units hit a group of 40 soldiers who attempted to intervene the scene after soldiers lost the control over the area. 13 soldiers were killed and 10 others were wounded in this action, rendering the Turkish troops unable to move after all their attempts were foiled.
At 09:00 the same morning, another guerrilla unit hit two groups of soldiers trying to enter the Kır area from Deriyê Dasına, leaving 3 soldiers dead and 5 others wounded.
In another action, guerrillas encircled and hit two other military units that tried to enter the Kır area from Martyr Dıjwar territory. 14 soldiers were killed and 15 were wounded in this area where clashes lasted till the evening hours.
Guerrillas later carried out an action targeting an emplacement where 8 soldiers were positioned. The results of the strikes couldn’t be clarified though.
COBRA HELICOPTERS REPELLED
A Cobra helicopter heading towards the area for intervention was also hit by guerrillas with heavy weapons, rendered ineffective and forced to leave the area with damage. During the evening hours, guerrillas hit and damaged 2 more Cobra helicopters as they started to move towards the scene for intervention. Turkish forces bombarded the area with mortar and howitzer fire till the morning hours of September 2 after all their movement area was restricted and taken under control by guerrillas.
SOLDIERS ENCIRCLED AND HIT FROM THREE SIDES
During the morning hours of September 2, Turkish military units moving from Martyr Baxtiyar area from three sides attempted to break the guerrillas’ siege and retrieve the dead and wounded soldiers from the area. All the three groups were encircled and hit by guerrillas during the following hours, as a result of which 13 soldiers were killed and more than 10 others were wounded.
While sporadic clashes in this area continued till the evening hours, Cobra type helicopters hit the Turkish soldiers as they intervened the scene, and the number of soldiers killed by these strikes couldn’t be clarified. A guerrilla named Eylem fell fighting in this area.
At 17:00 the same day, another military unit of 45 soldiers attempted to intervene the area under the siege of guerrillas. Guerrillas hit this unit from three sides with rockets, bombs and heavy weapons. Guerrillas on the other hand hit a Cobra helicopter with heavy weapons as it intervened the fighting which lasted 45 minutes, during which 30 soldiers were killed and 10 others were heavily wounded.
One guerrilla named Sipan got seriously wounded during the clashes, and fell a martyr later.
BODIES OF OVER 20 SOLDIERS REMAINED IN CLASHES AREA FOR 4 DAYS
Bodies of 20 soldiers from the operational units remained in the clashes area for 4 days and Turkish army suffered further losses as a result of every intervention attempted by their side. Wounded soldiers managed to flee the area by taking advantage of the intense bombardments conducted by Turkish forces at the end of the 4th day. Turkish army heavily bombed the area with jets, helicopters, howitzers, mortars and tanks after the escape of soldiers, and this aggression continued till the evening hours of September 5.
HPG pointed out that Turkish army resorted to civilians in order to retrieve the bodies of soldiers from the operation zone, and soldiers left many munitions behind.
HPG stated that the actions by HPG and YJA-Star guerrillas during this operation were carried out in response to the denial of access to Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.
Three guerrillas, named Mahir, Sipan and Eylem, fell as martyrs whilst putting up a brave fight, and their detailed ID information will be announced later.
Source: http://www.anfenglish.com/kurdistan/hpg-86-soldiers-killed-58-others-wounded-in-tendurek
