HPG (People's Defense Forces) has denied allegations put forward by pro-KDP media which argued that HPG guerrillas attacked a group of KDP-I (Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran) peshmergas in the border area of Kelashin.

HPG Press Centre said that these reports, which had obviously been prepared in advance, distorted the truth and couldn't be identified with good will.

The statement reported that HPG guerrillas offered help to a group of 15-20 KDP-I peshmergas who entered the Xinera and wanted to cross into East Kurdistan a while ago. Remarking that the peshmerga group, however, didn't cross the border and kept waiting at a point in Xinera area, where there is an intense presence of HPG forces, the statement continued; "At around 5 pm yesterday evening, a KDP-I force of 7-8 vehicles coming from Diyana arrived and positioned in the area of Berbızına. A group of HPG guerrillas in Berbızına and Xınere went near them at 9 am this morning to understand what they aimed and wanted to do. Following talks between two sides, the 60-70 person group of peshmergas in Berbızına turned back to where they came from. On the other hand, a group of peshmergas secretly approached a team of guerrillas and wanted to neutralize them as they were waiting behind the other guerrilla group that went near the peshmerga groups in Xınere to talk. They refused to listen to the warnings of the guerrillas to not to come closer, whereupon a team of guerrillas opened a warning fire on them in order not to be captured. In a clash that erupted afterwards and lasted 3-4 minutes, a peshmerga fighter lost his life and one other was wounded."

HPG reported that the guerrilla executives here intervened the situation immediately and had a talk with the commander of the peshmerga group here. The wounded peshmerga was taken to the hospital of guerrillas for treatment, while the others retreated, HPG said, noting that talks will be continued in order for the resolution of the problem through dialogue and in a peaceful manner.

Stressing that HPG never sided with an attack and clash with the peshmergas, HPG stated that the warning fire had to be opened by guerrillas as a defense against the peshmerga group's intention to neutralize them.

Voicing sadness over the eruption of the clash and the martyrization of a peshmerga fighter, HPG said the reports published by some media organs on the incident, which argued that guerrillas attacked peshmergas, couldn't be identified with good will.

"We state that we are open to any investigation and discussion to make the incident clear and settle it, and call on the patriotic public opinion, democratic parties and circles to adopt a national democratic attitude against provocative attempts", HPG added.