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Kurdish guerrillas
killed in chemical attacks
Turkey-Kurdistan,
July 19
- An unknown number of
Kurdish HPG guerrillas have been killed in chemical
attacks carried out on July 16 by the Turkish Air
Force against HPG forces in the areas of Reske,
Qarnase and Nebirnava in the province of Van,
according to a statement by the HPG.
Turkish army brigades from Hakkari, Van and Batman
conducted between July 14-16 a large-scale military
operation in the areas of Reske, Qarnase and
Nebirnava in the province of Van. Turkish forces had
according to guerrilla and local sources suffered
great casualties in unsuccessful attacks against
strategic guerrilla positions.
According to the statement by the HPG Press and
Liaison Center (HPG-BIM), the Turkish units
conducting operations in the Van area were on July
16 pulled back from the operation areas by order
from the Turkish Army Security Commandership in Van.
After the pullback, the Commandership then ordered a
chemical attack against the guerrilla positions in
the mountains.
HPG states that an unknown number of guerrillas were
killed in the attack but that they have for the
moment no further details surrounding the chemical
attack. A statement will soon be made by the HPG
Commandership, according to the HPG Press and
Liaison Center.
The Turkish army have in the first war with the PKK
carried out several chemical attacks against
guerrilla positions which they could not conquer.
The world opinion still remains unwitting of such
atrocities carried out by the Turkish army.
Kurdish youth attacked police station in Izmir
Turkey-Kurdistan,
July 19
- A group of Kurdish
youth attacked the police station in the district of
Kadifekale in the Izmir province during an illegal
demonstration on July 18.
The youth who had gathered to protest against the
isolation of the Kurdish national leader Abdullah
Ocalan shouted slogans as 'Long Live Leader Apo',
'There can be no life without Apo' and 'You won't
live in a world without Ocalan'. The youth moved
towards the police station of Kadifekale, and upon
arrival, they attacked the station with stones and
Molotov cocktails.
The police, who were taken by surprise, barricaded
themselves in the station until reinforcements could
arrive. Turkish reinforcements pushed back the
Kurdish youth with tear gas and police officers
coming out from the station fired warning shots in
the air. The youth ended their demonstration and
disappeared into cross streets.
The Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan was handed over
to Turkish intelligence agents in Nairobi, Kenya, by
the American CIA on February 15, 1999. He was taken
to Turkey and was sentenced to death by a Turkish
military court for leading the Kurdish uprising in
Turkey. Ocalan's death sentence was later commuted
to life in prison. Ocalan is today held in isolation
as the sole prisoner in the military prison in the
island of Imrali.
Kurdish HPG rebuff Turkish claims of ties with
TAK
Turkey-Kurdistan,
July 18 - The Kurdish People's Defence Forces
(HPG) issued a statement yesterday denying claims
made by the Turkish state and media that their
forces have ties to the militant organisation TAK
(Kurdistan's Freedom Falcons).
In the statement issued by the HPG Commandership
Headquarters the guerrillas accused the Turkish
government of deliberatelly smearing HPG's
legitimate struggle of self-defence.
"The Turkish government officials and media are in
their statements trying to tie us to the attack in
the city of Kusadasi. Their accusations are totally
groundless and unfounded. We have nothing to do with
the attack in Kusadasi. As we don't have any ties to
this attack, we also don't have any ties at all with
TAK and such organisations", the HPG statement said.
The HPG stated that they have since the ending of
the unilateral cease-fire in June 1, 2004, never
targeted civilians and acted by the principles of a
legitimate self-defence and within the frames of
international laws.
"The Turkish government has showed their true face
by killing the 12-year old Ugur Kaymaz in Kiziltepe,
by attacking civilians during the funeral ceremonies
for our martyred guerrillas in Van and Amed (Diyarbakir)
and killing the Kurdish youth Vahdettin Inanē, and
by mutilating, desecrating and violating the bodies
of martyred HPG guerrillas."
"In [Turkish P.O.W] Coskun Kirandi's case, we have
showed that our stance and approach is respectful
and humane. This is our fundamental political
stance. We have reiterated in statements to the
media over and over again, that we will respect and
observe the Geneva Convention. Until now we have
respected and observed the Convention and we will
continue to do so", the HPG stated.
The Turkish government is still trying to blame the
Kurdish HPG guerrillas for the terrorist attack that
occured in the tourist resort of Kusadasi on July
16. Turkish media claims that TAK has clamed
responsibility in the attack, but according to
Kurdish sources, there are no such claims by TAK.
www.dozame.org
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