Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) executive committee member Duran Kalkan claimed that since 20 November the Turkish army has suffered one of its heaviest blows in history during ongoing operations against Kurdish guerrillas in the Zap and Metina (Metîna) regions of Iraqi Kurdistan.

In an interview with Medya Haber TV on Wednesday, Kalkan pointed to the “tangible results” of what he called the “revolutionary actions” of the Kurdish guerrillas and stressed the “inability of the Turkish armed forces” to deny their impact.

Underlining the importance of understanding the consequences of the ongoing clashes in Iraqi Kurdistan, Kalkan stressed that despite the efforts of the Turkish army, it has not been able to capture the PKK strongholds, even with the support of NATO. He also criticised the Turkish government’s attempts to secure NATO’s support, mentioning that Turkey had previously set conditions for Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership.

Kalkan also condemned Turkey’s alleged cooperation with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in its military operations against the PKK in Iraqi Kurdistan, and warned those who ally themselves with the Turkish government, accusing them of taking part in a dangerous and harmful process.

In conclusion, Kalkan urged those who support the Turkish army to reconsider their stance, warning that failure to do so would lead to a lack of recognition and support. He urged them not to become tools for Turkish attacks and encouraged them to contribute positively to the Kurdish society of which they are a part.

Turkey’s military operations against Kurdish guerrilla forces in the Zap, Metina and Avashin (Avaşîn) areas of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have been ongoing since April 2022.

The casualty figures given by the Turkish authorities and PKK’s military wing People’s Defence Forces (HPG) in these clashes often contradict each other. Turkey has been accused of concealing the number of soldiers killed in its operations against the PKK.

On the other hand, friends of Turkish soldiers killed in clashes with the PKK in northern Iraq have shared their names and where they died on social media, even though Turkey has not officially announced their deaths.