The Press Office of the HPG (People’s Defense Forces) announced the martyrdom of Leyla Turgut (Koçerîn Rojîn), Dilsoz Habîb (Axîn Amûdê), Songül Tarıncı (Roza Rênas Amed) and Berîvan Mustafa (Avrîn Mahsum) in Turkish attacks on the Medya Defence Zones in September last year. The four female guerrilla fighters were employees of the YJA Star (Free Women's Troops) and HPG Press Centre.

In a detailed obituary, HPG Press Office defined the fallen guerrillas as the "voice of the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla" and expressed their condolences to their families and the Kurdish people.

Nom de Guerre: Koçerîn Rojîn
First-Last Name: Leyla Turgut
Birthplace: Kars
Mother's-Father's Name: Şirin – Mehmet
Date and Place of Martyrdom: 12 September 2022, Medya Defense Zones

 

Nom de Guerre: Avrîn Mahsum First-Last Name: Bêrîvan Mustafa Birthplace: Afrin Mother's-Father's Name: Fethiye – Recep Date and Place of Martyrdom: 19 September 2022, Medya Defense Zones

 

Nom de Guerre: Axîn Amûdê First-Last Name: Dilsoz Hebîb Birthplace: Amûdê Mother's-Father's Name: Newroz – Kamuran Date and Place of Martyrdom: 12 September 2022, Medya Defense Zones

 

Nom de Guerre: Roza Rênas Amed First-Last Name: Songül Tarıncı Birthplace: Amed Mother's-Father's Name: Rahime – Şehmus Date and Place of Martyrdom: 12 September 2022, Medya Defense Zones

 

Koçerîn Rojîn

Koçerîn Rojîn was born in Kars in Northern Kurdistan and grew up in Istanbul because her family had to leave their homeland due to state repression. As a young woman, she became involved with the liberation ideology of Abdullah Öcalan and became active in the Kurdish youth movement. In 2013, she joined the guerrillas and underwent basic training in Avashin. In the following practice, she developed into a leading militant of the YJA Star, and from another education programme she emerged as a commander. When ISIS attacked Kurdistan, she defended the people in Maxmur and Kirkuk. After completing her task, she returned to the mountains and continued her struggle in different areas. She worked in sensitive areas with a revolutionary sense of responsibility and eventually moved to the HPG Press Centre. In the course of the Turkish occupation attacks, she reported on the guerrilla resistance at the front. In doing so, she focused on the struggle of the martyrs and took up arms herself when necessary.

Avrîn Mahsum

Avrîn Mahsum was born in the Sherawa district of Afrin in Rojava (West Kurdistan) and grew up in a family close to the PKK. Until she was eight, she lived with her family in Aleppo. She experienced her first conflict with the ruling Baath regime when she started school and had to speak Arabic instead of her mother tongue Kurmancî. Two of her siblings joined the Kurdish liberation struggle. Avrîn experienced the revolution of Rojava and participated in the resistance of her people against the attacks of Islamist organisations. When her brother Mahsum Efrîn died fighting the occupiers, she took over his weapon in 2014 and continued his struggle. With a gun in one hand and a camera in the other, she reported from the front as a war reporter. Through this work, she was instrumental in bringing the brutality of ISIS and the resistance in Rojava to global attention. During the Turkish invasion of Afrin in early 2018, she participated in the armed resistance while reporting on it. During a battle, she was wounded and, together with a fellow fighter, lost contact with her unit. Since it had to be assumed that they had not survived, they were declared as casualties. After 26 days in enemy territory, the two were rescued by the YPJ/YPG. After the occupation of Afrin, Avrîn went to the mountains and joined the guerrillas. At the Şehîd Bêrîtan Academy, she was able to develop and complete her military and ideological knowledge. Since 2020, she has worked at the YJA Star Press Centre.

Axîn Amûdê

Axîn Amûdê was born in Amûdê in Rojava and grew up with the Kurdish resistance culture. She studied sociology and became involved with Abdullah Öcalan's ideas about a free society. In the course of the women-led revolution of Rojava, she participated in the activities of the youth movement and taught Kurdish for a while. In 2017, she joined the guerrillas in the mountains and worked in media relations. She trained at the Apollo Academy, where she studied women's liberation ideology and gained military competence. Afterwards, she took on various critical tasks and participated in the frontline of the resistance against the Turkish army in Zap. She then returned to media work, documenting events in the war zone. Most recently she worked in the Press Centre of the YJA Star.

Roza Rênas Amed

Roza Rênas Amed was born in Amed (Diyarbakır) in Northern Kurdistan and grew up under the impact of the Kurdish popular uprisings. She participated in the work of the youth movement and went to Rojava in 2015 to defend the revolution. In Rojava, she fought militantly against ISIS and developed into a competent leader. In 2018, she joined the guerrillas in the Kurdish mountains and completed her combat experience with basic training in the Qandil region. She learned the professional application of modern guerrilla tactics and then came to Gare. After a stint at the Apollo Academy, she continued her work as a leading militant of the YJA Star.