Journalists Gulistan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn were killed when the Turkish army targeted their vehicle in Sulaymaniyah on 23 August. Speaking to the ANF, journalist Biryar Efrin said that martyrs Gulistan and Hêro made great efforts for the free media.

Biryar Efrîn said that he met Gulistan Tara in 2016, and added: "Gulistan was a friend, an enlightened person. She was a person devoted to her friends, her people and her work. She approached the profession of journalism like an artist and practiced journalism with great discipline and sensitivity. She was meticulous about the work. She would not take a break until it was finished and would evaluate the results. She would show the same care and attention to detail she showed for her work to her colleagues. She had an honest and concise personality. She was a friend in difficult times. When she sensed a slight morale problem in a colleague, she would immediately be there, try to understand and help her/him."

Journalist Efrîn added: "Gulistan was loved and respected by everyone. She has been one of the important veterans of the free media since 2000. She has put in great effort and hard work from Rojava to South Kurdistan. As can be seen from the programs she participated in, the news she made and her analyses, her characteristics of quickly adapting to the areas she went to, having a strong ability to interpret and integrating with her people were prominent. She made a great impact in every area she stayed in; her mark still lives on in every place she touched."

‘Gulistan was disciplined and punctual’

Biryar Efrîn said that he also had the chance to get to know Hero Bahadîn, and added: "Hero started to take part in free media activities in 2016. I met Hero in 2016. She had studied engineering, but she wanted to become a journalist. She was a conscious woman and her presence was immediately noticed. She had a friendly and warm personality. She was disciplined and punctual. She would never come to work late, not even for a day. She was an example for her colleagues."

Journalist Efrîn continued: "Hero's family is a patriotic, pure, clean and honest family. A family devoted to Kurdistan and the Kurdish people. Hero inherited most of her personality traits from her mother. She never hurt or offended her colleagues, even for a single day. She was sincere and humble in her relationships. She had an angelic personality. Her spirit of responsibility was at the forefront. She was competent at programming. You could easily leave a studio to comrade Hero; you wouldn't have to worry about anything. She was also competent in editing. She was making new progress every day. She loved to improve herself. Whenever there was a technical problem, everyone would think of Hero because she was an expert in technique and was in a position to solve the problem."

‘The pens of our friends won’t remain on the ground’

Journalist Biryar Efrîn emphasized that they will follow in the footsteps of Gulistan and Hero, and concluded his words by saying, "it is impossible to express in words comrades Gulistan and Hero. The revenge of Gulistan and Hero will be taken by strengthening and expanding the free media. Their pens and cameras will not remain on the ground."