The Headquarters Commander of the People’s Defence Centre (HSM), Murat Karayılan, used his May Day message to speak about Turkey’s military operation launched against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Metina, Avaşin, and Zap regions (also known as Medya Defence Zones) in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Karayılan started his speech by celebrating 1 May, International Workers’ Day: “Today, under the leadership of our party, the PKK, the struggle of the workers in Kurdistan continues at the highest level, pioneered by the guerrillas and the general public. The struggle for labour and democratic socialism is rising in Kurdistan in the light of Leader Apo’s ideas,” he said.
As the clashes between Kurdish Fighters and Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) continue, Karayılan spoke about Turkey’s goals: “The Turkish state has dirty and dark plans against our people and all the peoples of the region. They are waging this war to realise their plans. But so far they have not had any success. Now, by deepening the war in the Medya Defence Zones, Turkey wants to remove the guerrillas from the region and settle there. It wants both to make a buffer zone and to control all the gains of the Kurdish people by occupying those strategic areas. If this happens, this would also be a great danger and threat for the Arab people and the peoples of the region.”
The government in Turkey is going through a crisis, said Karayılan.
He also noted that the AKP-MHP government attacked the Medya Defence Zones in order to stay in power. “Undoubtedly, their defeat will be a new era and a great achievement for our people, the peoples of Turkey, and all the forces of democracy. In other words, the war that continues in Zap, Metina, Avaşin, and Heftanîn is the war for democracy in Turkey.”
Karayılan underlined that the consequences of these clashes are crucial for people in the region.