From an ISIS jail to Kurdish mountains, story of an Arab youth

Çiyager Agir is an Arab from Deir ez-Zor. He stayed in ISIS prison when his city was occupied by the Islamic State and saw hope again after the victory in Kobanê. He joined the guerrillas and has been in the Kurdish mountains for two years.

Çiyager Agir was born in Deir ez-Zor in 1996. He had hopes like everyone else; he wanted to live freely. When ISIS occupied the city, life became as dark as its flag and began to turn into torture.

The executions in the city square became part of the daily life of people in all their horror. Breaking people's limbs, whipping women, people left hungry and dehydrated for days became recurrent scenes.  The citizens witnessed the cruelty imposed on people.

Çiyager Agir did not accept this situation and spoke to his friends about it. He was then arrested by ISIS. He stayed in their prison for about 5 months and was repeatedly tortured. The family managed to have him released, but it became clear that he could not live like this.

Kobanê motivated him

The Kurdish resistance and the defeat of ISIS in Kobanê was something that brought light to many people living in the ISIS darkness in the occupied cities. Kobanê victory represented hope for Çiyager Agir.

He says now: "When I heard the name of President Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) and recognized the ideology of humanity that came to our aid without looking at the identity we had, I realized that the path of new life to the Middle East was through the mountains of Kurdistan."

Two years in the mountains of Kurdistan

Agir continues: "I have been in the mountains of resistance for about two years now. There may be differences in culture, language, land, climate, but in this movement there are friends from many nations, everyone is connected to each other beyond the family.

I had never witnessed the companionship relationship I am living here. A very different feeling; It's hard to explain. I can say it is the community of those who share happiness, resistance, laughing and bread with each other free of charge. Arab people have suffered a lot and are still suffering. Only President Apo's philosophy can cure these pains. I take this opportunity to invite those who look to the future with hope and especially the youth of my people to come here."

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