The Press Center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) has published the names of four guerrilla fighters martyred in a Turkish airstrike in the Qandil region in southern Kurdistan, northern Iraq, in March 2018.

"The occupying Turkish state headed its annihilation attacks against our people, which intensified in 2015, to a climax in 2018. The colonialist mentality that aimed its gun at the Kurds' achievements everywhere in Kurdistan sought to break the will of our people and force them to surrender. Our companions Argeş, Botan, Çiyager, and Sipan, who joined the caravan of martyrs as a result of a bombardment in Qandil, have become torches that will always illuminate the triumphal march of our people," the HPG said on the death of the martyrs whose ID details are as follows:

Nom de Guerre: Sipan Çırav First-Last Name: Hasan Damar Birthplace: Siirt Mother's-Father's Names: Taybet – Abdulcelil Date and Place of Martyrdom: 22 March 2018 / Qandil

 

Nom de Guerre: Argeş Şoreş First-Last Name: Hüseyin Kamkar Birthplace: Mahabad Mother's-Father's Names: Hacer – Xıdır Date and Place of Martyrdom: 22 March 2018 / Qandil

 

Nom de Guerre: Botan Amed First-Last Name: Ahmet Gezer Birthplace: Amed Mother's-Father's Names: Ayfer – Hacı Date and Place of Martyrdom: 22 March 2018 / Qandil

 

Nom de Guerre: Çiyager Lice First-Last Name: Murat Işık Birthplace: Amed Mother's-Father's Names: Vesife – Hatip Date and Place of Martyrdom: 22 March 2018 / Qandil

According to the statement, Sipan Çirav was born into a patriotic family in the Kurdish province of Siirt. The family moved to western Turkey under the impact of the policy of permanent curfews, village burnings and public executions that were the order of the day in the resistance region of Botan in the 1990s as part of Turkey's "counterinsurgency". "Even when far away, Sipan Çirav remained connected to Botan culture and resisted assimilation policies. From the first moment he joined the guerrilla, he adapted to life in the mountains with indescribable enthusiasm, fulfilling his longing for the homeland that had lasted for years. He combined his passion for the guerrillas with the energy of his youth."

Argeş Şoreş was born in the Mahabad city of eastern Kurdistan: "There, where Qazi Muhammed and his comrades-in-arms sang their freedom march in Çarçira Square. In his teens, Argeş Şoreş began to get involved with the Kurdish liberation movement. Several times he was arrested by the Iranian regime and tortured in detention. After his last release, he joined the guerrilla ranks in the mountains.

Argeş Şoreş

Botan Amed was born in the Kurdish resistance stronghold of Amed. There he grew up as the son of a patriotic family amidst the popular uprisings in the district of Bağlar. "Like all other young people in Amed, our friend Botan knew the reality of the enemy's practice of breaking the will of the youth through special war methods. His response was to join the guerrilla."

Botan Amed

Çiyager Lice also came from a patriotic family in Amed. He became acquainted with the Kurdish liberation movement at an early age because he grew up in Lice. The district is one of the many centers of the state's counterinsurgency operations and has witnessed numerous massacres of civilians and guerrillas, resulting in hundreds of deaths. For eleven years, Çiyager Lice remained in Turkish prisons over activities for the Kurdish youth movement and was tortured. After his release, he took to the mountains.

Çiyager Lice

"In light of the loss of our companions Argeş, Botan, Çiyager and Sipan, we extend our condolences to their families and the patriotic people of Kurdistan. We promise to realize the ideals and dreams of our martyrs,” added the HPG statement.