The Turkish state is trying to conquer the Medya Defense Areas and destroy the guerrillas. Every day, countless bombs, including chemical weapons, fall on the mountains in the Medya Defense Areas. Large contingents of ground troops are also deployed. However, the guerrillas have so far managed not only to resist the attacks this year, but also to force the army onto the defensive through creative tactics.
The guerrillas are now effectively using air defense systems against Turkish killer drones and are themselves using drones to target Turkish bases in the Medya Defense Areas. Meanwhile, highly mobile guerrilla units are striking on the ground. The series of guerrilla actions between 1 and 6 June in the Avaşîn, Zap and Metîna areas, in which many of the Turkish army’s targets were destroyed, including from the air, once again clearly demonstrates the guerrilla’s potential for action. During the actions, positions were destroyed, facilities hit and at least eleven Turkish soldiers were killed.
Looking at the videos of the actions, the situation of the Turkish army, which has been trying to gain control of the region for four years, is easy to see. The soldiers are often unable to move out onto the field because the guerrillas are already waiting for them there. If they are at the bases, the guerrillas attack with drones or ground operations. Apparently, even the most modern NATO technology does not help the Turkish army to protect itself effectively.
Guerrillas’ actions mark the anniversary of the June offensive
On the anniversary of the ground-breaking 1 June offensive in 2004, the guerrillas launched a series of actions with a sabotage operation in Avaşîn. A Reo armored vehicle and its occupants, five Turkish soldiers, were blown up and completely destroyed.
While the Turkish press repeatedly claims that there are no more guerrillas in Zap, Metîna and Avaşîn, the guerrillas are proving exactly the opposite with massive actions. In Metîna, Turkish troop movements had increased from May onwards. First, the army tried to destroy the guerrilla units in the field, then it tried to kill them in the war tunnels. The Turkish army has practically failed to do this in the past four years. The Turkish army attacked the tunnels, advanced and had to turn back with heavy losses. Even with the use of chemical weapons, it was not possible to penetrate the guerrilla positions.
The battle in the field was also unsuccessful. Guerrilla units set up ambushes and attacked Turkish soldiers repeatedly. A two-front attack by the guerrillas took place in Metîna on 6 June. One wing attacked a group of soldiers from a distance with semi-automatic weapons, while the other front advanced immediately afterward at close range. A tent camp in the Serê Metîna area was the target of the guerrillas. Six Turkish soldiers were killed in the attack.
Between 1 and 6 June, the guerrillas also carried out a number of other actions, including a series of air strikes on Turkish bases in the Zap region. Heavy explosions occurred at the bases. Since these were air strikes, the Turkish army’s losses could not be determined. The physical and psychological impact of the large number of heavy drone attacks on the Turkish bases can only be guessed.
Turkish soldiers in Kurdistan can practically no longer move outside their bases and are not safe even there. In fact, there is no longer any place in the invaded areas of South Kurdistan where they can retreat.