A statement on the usage of chemical weapons by Turkey during the ongoing operations against Kurdish fighters in the Qandil Mountains that has been continuing since late April came from the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) Executive Committee Member Murat Karayilan, ANF reported.

Karayılan, speaking on Stêrk TV about the use of chemical weapons said that they have determined that Turkey has used five types of chemical weapons against them so far.

“Nerve gas, which is mainly Tabun (an extremely toxic chemical substance), a suffocating gas containing Chloropicrin, Sulphur Mustard, which is the burning gas, Pepper gas and a gas that causes memory loss and periodic paralysis have been used.” he said.

5 Chemicals detected

Karayılan listed and identified these five types of gas as follows:

-One of them is nerve gas. In other words, it freezes the nerve cells of the human being, causing it to remain immobile and causing the death of the person in a short time. The main substance of this gas is called Tabun. When this weapon is used, most of it smells of fruit, but sometimes there is also no smell

-The second weapon they use is for suffocating the human. This weapon contains Chloropicrin gas. This gas is also called Green Cross. The Germans first developed this formulation during World War I. It has been in the hands of the Turks since then. Maybe now the Turks are producing it on their own, but of course, there’s a possibility that they’re doing it with the Germans. The main origin of this weapon is in Germany. This weapon suffocates people in the region where it is used

-The other gas is a burning gas. This gas burns and dries you. Wherever you throw it, there’s fire. Its chemical name is Sulphur Mustard. This is also originally from Germany and called Yellow Cross. This also takes on a yellow colour when used. However, it burns every area in which it is used.

-Another gas they use against us makes one sluggish, causes memory loss and people pass out. The person who has been exposed to this gas looses all power and has periodic paralysis. As in the case of Eagle Hill, they have used this gas in many places.

– The fifth is Pepper spray. So it’s the gases they use against the people in protests right now. Of course, when used in a narrow space or a tunnel, the person has no opportunity to escape there. So this is a lethal gas too.”

Response to Akar

Responding to Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, who denied the use of chemical gas and said, “We only use pepper spray,” Murat Karayilan said, “He (Akar) is lying. They are using these 5 different substances against us, which we have been able to detect so far.”

“On-site scrutiny and investigations” have been called for by the PKK previously to the United Nations, human rights organisations, experts, and intellectuals regarding the usage of chemical gases.