Karayilan made the claim during an interview with PKK-affiliated Sterk TV, which was published on Wednesday, July 22.

He said that the PKK had conducted 95 guerrilla actions, which resulted in the deaths of 236 Turkish soldiers. PKK fighters have also caused damage to six Turkish Bell Cobra helicopters, he said.

“The results that appeared from Haftanin is that if a fighter moves with will, courage, skills, and professionalism, he can break the modern [military] technology and fight against it,” the PKK official said. “The battle clarified to us that the guerrillas in Haftanin are modern guerrillas.”

“The PKK wants Kurdish identity and rights to be recognized in Turkey because Kurds should live with their culture and language and rule themselves. Everyone should know that the PKK wants the best solution inside Turkey,” he added.

On June 15, Turkey began a combined air and ground campaign in the Kurdistan Region and northern Iraq, which it said is designed to target the PKK. At least five civilians and an uncertain number of PKK and Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) fighters have been killed since then.

Reporter’s code: 50101