A second attack was carried out on the graves of HPG (People’s Defense Forces) and YPG (People’s Defense Units) members buried at Yeniköy Cemetery in the central Bağlar district of Amed (Diyarbakır) province.

During last night’s attack by unidentified persons, gravestones photos of the martyrs were scratched and sprayed with black paint. The code names were painted over with white paint and some tombstones were smashed.

In an instruction dated November 2017, Diyarbakır Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered the exchange of grave stones in the Yeniköy Cemetery. In December 2017, several graves were desecrated and demolished by unknown persons.

This is not the first time Turkish state forces are attacking graves of fallen guerrillas. In recent years, dozens of cemeteries where guerrillas are buried have been demolished or bombed by the Turkish state.

In a statement about the continued attacks on graves, PKK Executive Committee had said the following; “Attacking cemeteries and dead bodies is where humanity ends. It is not possible to stay human or to gain a free and democratic life without fighting such an aggressive power. In this sense, this tyranny and inhumanity should be objected to. Our Kurdish Freedom Movement will make these forces that attack the graves of our martyrs, who are the highest value of our people, answer for what they did. Those who did this will pay the price. Our people should not remain silent in the face of this attack and insult. This animosity against Kurds and this vile behavior must be responded to. Our people in all parts of Kurdistan, not just the people of Bakurê (Northern) Kurdistan, should speak up against this inhuman force.”