Guerrillas from the HPG (People’s Defense Forces) and YJA Star (Free Women’s Troops) celebrated Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s 76th birthday with a glorious ceremony.

Addressing the guerrilla fighters, Cemal Serhed, one of the HPG commanders, called for the struggle for the freedom of Leader Öcalan to be increased.

Cemal Serhed stated: “Today we celebrate the 76th birthday of our leader. His birth changed the fate of a people that was in the grip of genocide. Therefore, the birth of our leader is also our birth. Today is our birthday. We shoulder the burden of a great struggle in these mountains. Our leader has been resisting in the Imrali torture center for 26 years. We, like our leader, are based on resistance until the end. We will continue and increase our struggle until we realize the freedom of our leader. We congratulate our leader, the families of guerrillas and martyrs, our friends and all our patriotic people on this day.”

Music group Awazê Çiya planted trees as they spoke about the importance of Öcalan’s birth: “The arrival of spring is the re-greening of hope. For us, the birth of the leader is the greening of hope. That is why we plant trees and we welcome this day every year by planting trees”.

HPG and YJA Star guerrillas prepared for days to celebrate April 4. It was observed that the guerrillas were in high spirits as they organized various cultural activities ranging from dancing to theater performances.

The celebration continued with traditional dancing joined by dozens of guerrillas to the songs of Awazê Çiya.