The People’s Defence Forces (HPG), the armed wing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), said on Monday that the forces of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) were preparing to actively take part in the military campaign of Turkey in Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).
HPG Press Communication Centre released a statement saying:
“Our forces are engaged in fierce clashes with the invading Turkish forces in a large area between Avashin and Metina, and the clashes have intensified particularly after May 25 along the Metina-Amadiya line. Turkish forces are unable to make progress despite use of advanced technology and prohibited chemical weapons (…) According to recent statements by a deputy minister of the peshmerga and by the Governor of Duhok, and according to intelligence we gathered, KDP forces are preparing to engage in this strategic battle between our forces and the Turkish military. Our forces are currently fighting against Turkish forces to the north and east of Metina, and the clashes on the east are all the more intense. In the case that KDP forces are deployed to the south of Metina, this will signify the conclusion of Turkey’s plan to encircle and destroy our forces. It is obvious that such an attempt by KDP will be a declaration of war against us. They will be able to deploy their forces only by attacking ours, and this is likely to trigger a process that we’d very much like to avoid.”
Te statement continued:
“The KDP will be providing Turkey with further support in such a situation, and Turkey’s long objective of turning the ongoing armed conflict into an intra Kurdish fight will have been achieved. Everyone should be aware that an attack by KDP against our forces in Metina will have much broader impacts, and will start a war.”
HPG called upon everyone in KRI, all political parties, patriotic organisations, and intellectuals, to assume their responsibilities to prevent the beginning of such an intra Kurdish conflict.