ARGK: 11 Years Of Armed Liberation

[kurd-l at burn.ucsd.edu]

From: Arm The Spirit <ats at etext.org>
Subject: ARGK: 11 Years Of Armed Liberation Struggle

"The Beginning Of The Formation Of People's Power"

Statement From The Headquarters Of The ARGK On The Occasion Of The 11th
Anniversary Of The Armed Liberation Struggle In Kurdistan

        On August 15, we will enter the 12th year of fighting in our
national liberation struggle against Turkish colonial fascism, which is
seeking to eradicate our people from history. We greet our people and all
humanity on this 11th anniversary of our national liberation struggle,
which is one of the most legitimate and humane struggles in history,
directed against one of the most barbaric regimes in the entire world.
        Our national liberation struggle, which began on August 15, 1984
with a few propaganda groups, reached the stage of 'Serhildan' (popular
uprising) by the early 1990s following a long phase of guerrilla warfare.
Today, our experienced and powerful guerrilla army has reached the stage
when liberated zones will be established.
        The past year was very significant, both in terms of the fiascos
which the enemy suffered, as well as the aspects of our own development.
The year 1994 was a year of intensive and heavy war. The colonial fascist
Turkish Republic was forced to rely on major assistance from its allies,
particularly Germany and the United States.
        Our guerrilla forces waged heroic resistance against the massive
counter-revolutionary attacks and not only were able to keep the national
reality of Kurdistan alive in the face of these brutal assaults, but they
also transformed last year into a year of some of the most significant
developments our national liberation struggle has seen so far.
        Last year, the PKK, which leads our struggle and our people's
liberation army, carried out its 5th Party Congress. The realization of
such a meeting with a long period of preparation shows the high level which
our national liberation struggle has reached, destroying all of the plans
which the enemy had made.
        Another significant development last year was the fact that there
wasn't only heavy fighting between our guerrilla forces and the fascist
Turkish army in northwest Kurdistan, but in south Kurdistan as well. The
military operation which was launched by the Turkish army during Newroz has
created a situation of war in south Kurdistan which continues to exist in
different forms. This Turkish attack has helped to unify north and south
Kurdistan, and steps are now being taken by our forces to create joint
military strategy and tactics in all regions of Kurdistan.
        The resistance by our forces against the Turkish attacks in south
Kurdistan turned their operation into a failure and the Turkish army became
bogged down in south Kurdistan. In this way, the revolution in north
Kurdistan is being transported to the south and is influencing the
population there. The people of south Kurdistan are on the side of our
revolution and they support it. South Kurdistan has become an important
strategic region for us and it is controlled by our guerrilla forces. Thus,
a new revolutionary phase has begun in south Kurdistan. This phase in south
Kurdistan, just like in north Kurdistan, is the beginning of the formation
of people's power.
        That is the reality in Kurdistan today. The imperialists and
colonialists, who have realized that this reality does not fit with their
interests, have gathered together collaborationist forces with the aim of
halting revolutionary developments. But these dangerous
counter-revolutionary measures will be defeated by us. We have not been
blind to these plans, and our revolutionary positions, which we have
struggled for, will destroy these plots and we will teach the necessary
lessons to all those who planned them.
        In conjunction with the 5th Congress of the PKK, the stage which
was developed in northwest Kurdistan in the spring and summer of this year
is on the path to victory for our progressive struggle.
        We have inflicted serous blows on the fascist Turkish army in the
region between the Zagros mountains and Dersim, and between the Taurus
mountains and Serhat. As our guerrilla struggle in northern and central
areas becomes further anchored, we are rapidly approaching victory in Botan
and the Zagros region.
        Now is the time when we will seek to establish liberated zones and
people's power based on the line of victory. The balance of the last year
of fighting is proof of this.

Kurdistan War Balance: August 15, 1994 - August 15, 1995

        During the past year in Kurdistan, there were 3,281 armed
encounters in the form of attacks, ambushes, assaults, executions, mine
actions, and battles between Turkish army troops and our guerrilla forces.
We know of Turkish casualties for about two-thirds of these encounters, but
the results of the other one-third are unknown to us.
        Of the casualty figures known to us, a total of 6,493 Turkish
soldiers were killed, including 209 officers, 19 lower-ranking officers, 74
special team commandos, and 6,191 normal soldiers. In addition to these,
1,099 village guards, including 9 village guard chiefs, and 285 agents and
contra-guerrillas were killed. Therefore, a total of 7,877 enemy forces
were killed, and an unknown number were wounded.
        During the same time period, we took 365 enemy forces prisoner,
including 1 lieutenant, 1 lower-ranking officer, 11 soldiers, 5 sentries,
303 village guards, and 44 agents and contra-guerrillas.
        We also confiscated the following military equipment from the
Turkish army during the past year: 10 heavy machine guns; 101 medium
machine guns; 18 sniper rifles; 594 infantry weapons; 122,868 rounds of
ammunition; 14 mortars; 54 flame throwers; 27 rocket launchers; 195
rockets; 6 grenade launchers; 256 hand grenades; 56 radios; 12 flare guns;
34 night vision glasses; 97 binoculars; 1,194 mines; and 2 mine detectors.
        During the past year, we completely destroyed the following: 2
airplanes; 6 helicopters; 10 tanks; 72 panzers; 204 army vehicles; 1 MIT
vehicle; 146 village guard vehicles; 69 state vehicles; 59 pieces of
construction equipment; 1 radar facility; and 2 radar stations. We also
damaged 2 helicopters, 1 train, and 28 state buildings. Our forces also
carried out 11 acts of sabotage (bombings) against the Kerkuk-Yumurtalek
oil pipeline.
        Since August 15, 1994, we have completely destroyed 4 enemy
military installations and forced the enemy to abandon and flee from
another 8.
        Since Newroz 1995, a total of 73 villages have been forcibly
evacuated by the Turkish army, 43 of these in south Kurdistan and the other
30 in north Kurdistan, and 73 rural villagers have been killed by Turkish
troops, 47 in south Kurdistan and 26 north Kurdistan.
        In the year that has passed since August 15, 1994, 1,286 of our
fighters have fallen as martyrs in confrontations with Turkish forces.
Another 399 have been wounded. In addition to these martyrs, 6 popular
militia members have fallen and 14 of our fighters were wounded and taken
prisoner by the Turkish army.
        During the past year, we have consistently proven that our army,
which has developed through 11 years of struggle, is an unbeatable force
which can secure the survival and defence of our people.
        We now find ourselves at the starting point of creating our lasting
victory. May the history of the struggle of our people stride forward with
many new August 15 advances!

People's Liberation Army of Kurdistan (ARGK)
August 8, 1995

(Translated from Kurdistan Rundbrief 18/95)