YPG releases balance sheet of war for June

YPG reported that the Turkish army and allied gangs attacked YPG positions 102 times during the month of June. YPG/YPJ forces responded to the attacks, leaving 56 members of the gangs dead. 

People's Defense Units (YPG) Press Office released on its website the balance sheet of war for the month of June.

Accordingly, the Turkish army and gangs under their command attacked the YPG/YPJ positions in Rojava with heavy weaponry, tank, mortar and howitzer fire 102 times. The Turkish army's aircraft flew over Rojava and violated Rojava borders 24 times.

Gangs affiliated with the invading Turkish army launched extensive attacks on YPG/YPJ positions 4 times. YPG forces' retaliation against the attacks left 26 gang members dead, one vehicle destroyed, one vehicle and one dozer damaged.

In the scope of legitimate defense, YPG/YPJ forces retaliated against the attacks of the Turkish army and allied gangs in kind 18 times.

At 01:30 on 18 June 2017, 14 ISIS suicide bombers attacked asayish points, the hospital and YPG positions in Shaddadi. Upon the response of YPG fighters, 6 of these detonated themselves, 6 others were killed and 2 surrendered. During these clashes, 4 YPG fighters fell as martyrs and 3 others were wounded. The arms of these gangs were seized.

The YPG statement continued;

“The invading Turkish army and gangs acting under their command have been carrying out all kinds of attacks on our forces and our people in Rojava, mainly in the Efrîn Canton, for a long while now. Several civilians lost their lives or suffered injuries as result of these attacks that also inflicted material damages on civilians.

On this basis, our defense forces; People's Defense Units YPG and Women's Defense Units YPJ carried out 5 effective retaliation actions in response to the attacks of the Turkish army and allied gangs.

40 members of the Turkish army-affiliated gangs were killed and 7 others were wounded, while a large quantity of ammunition was seized.”

YPG/YPJ FORCES UNDERTOOK A LEADING ROLE IN THE RAQQA CAMPAIGN

Regarding the ongoing Great Battle launched on June 6 to liberate Raqqa from ISIS, the statement gave the following details:

“The Syrian Democratic Forces that include YPG and YPJ entered Raqqa city center through the al-Mashlab neighborhood on June 9 since when SDF fighters have liberated the al-Mashlab, Sinaa and al-Batani neighborhoods to the east of the city, and the Sabahiyah, Romania and al-Qadisiyah neighborhoods to the west. Separately, al-Jazra Square, historic Harkalah Fortress, 17th Division, Sugar Factory and several other strategically important locations have been liberated.

Fierce clashes are taking place in the Hattin, Yarmouk and al-Nahda neighborhoods to the west of the city, and in the al-Rawda neighborhood to the east. As much as could be clarified, 542 ISIS members were killed, dozens of others were wounded and 7 were captured alive during clashes. A large quantity of ammunition has been seized in the liberated neighborhoods and the neighborhoods where clashes are ongoing.

During the ongoing campaign to liberate Raqqa, thousands of civilians have been freed from the gangs and transferred to safe areas. The Raqqa city was completely surrounded on June 29. ISIS gangs are launching major attacks from four sides of the city to break the siege on the city center, and using Raqqan civilians as human shields.”

The statement said that 84 YPG fighters, among them 7 YPJ members, fell as martyrs during the Raqqa campaign in the month of June. Apart from that, 6 fighters fell during the repelling of the attacks on Shaddadi, 6 lost their lives as result of accidents and 2 others due to serious disease.