Guerrilla fighter Ahmed Muradpur (Bekês Urmiye), who died in the defence against the ISIS attack on the self-governing refugee camp Maxmur in Southern Kurdistan (Northern Iraq), was laid to rest with great sympathy. Thousands of people attended the funeral service in the Maxmur camp. Muradpur's coffin, covered with flags, was carried to the grave on the shoulders of the people under slogans.

"The freedom fighters protected Maxmur"

At the funeral service, after a minute's silence for the martyrs, Haci Kaçan, co-chairman of the Maxmur People's Council, spoke. He said: "We as the people of Maxmur have paid a high price on the path to freedom. As a people, we know very well that until today, no one other than the freedom fighters have protected us. Şehîd Bêkes and his comrades have fought not only for the defence of the people of Maxmur, but for that of all peoples. When the ISIS attacked the region in 2014, the guerrillas defended the entire people of the region from Shengal to Khanaqin to Rojava. This reality is well known. These widespread attacks on our people are part of an international conspiracy, and the embargo against Maxmur is also related to this. The embargo and the attacks are two sides of the same coin. All our people must know this reality and act accordingly. As the people of Maxmur, we appeal to the regional government of Southern Kurdistan: it must take its responsibility and do something against the dangerous attacks on our camp. As a people, we have never surrendered to a dirty plot or attack and we will never do that.”.

"We have been abandoned"

Nuran Sezgin of the Ishtar Women's Council of Maxmur said: "Those who are behind the schemes against the people of Maxmur leave a dark stain on human history. The regional and central governments, as well as international organizations, claim to defend Maxmur. But they abandon the people of Maxmur every time the jihadists attack. Although Şehîd Bêkes comes from Eastern Kurdistan, he came here to defend his people and he gave his young life for this task."

Following the speeches, the funeral procession took Bêkes Urmiye to the Maxmur Cemetery of Martyrs, where he was laid to rest under slogans such as "Şehîd namirin" and "Bijî Serok Apo" and the lamentations of the mothers of Maxmur.

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