After the Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan announced war on Kurdistan with the words "It is not bearable any more. After the end of Ramadan everything will be different", the Turkish Armed Forces extended its continuing military operations in Northern Kurdistan to Southern Kurdistan by starting its 26th cross-border operation on August 17. This new wave of military operations on Kurdish guerrilla forces and political attacks on democratic mass organisations and political parties is announced as "the new strategy of war on terror".{divide}
On August 23, the Turkish Armed Forces issued a statement about the balance of the first 6 days of the air bombings in Southern Kurdistan. In the statement, the Turkish army claims that they have waged 451 attacks (102 air and 349 artillery) and killed some 90-100 guerrillas in Metina, Zap, Avasin, Basyan, Xakurk, Kandil and Gare.The HPG and KCK press bureaus informed that 8 different zones (Xınere, Xakurke, Qandil, Zagros, Gare, Haftanin, Metina and Zap) were bombed many times, 7 guerrillas were killed and civil populated areas were seriously harmed. They also stated that Iran attacks simultaneously by mortars and howitzers.
The HPG forces respond the Turkish colonialist state's attacks with retaliation acts in Northern Kurdistan and Turkey.