HPG: "Martyr Yilmaz became a symbol of resistance"

HPG guerrilla Yilmaz Girêsor died in a chemical weapons attack by the Turkish army. The HPG Press Office announced that he blew himself up with a hand grenade to avoid falling into enemy hands.

On October 27, 2021, guerrilla fighter Yilmaz Girêsor (Mikail Şenateş) died at the Kartal hill in the Avashin region of the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

The Press Office of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) reported that the Turkish army used chemical weapons after long attempts to break the resistance of the guerrillas at the Kartal hill. To avoid capture, Yilmaz Girêsor blew himself up with a hand grenade. His ID information is as follows:

Nom de Guerre: Yılmaz Girêsor
First-Last Name: Mikail Şenateş
Birthplace: Urfa
Mother's-Father's Name: Hawa – Hüseyin
Date and Place of Martyrdom: 27 October 2021 / Avaşîn

According to the statement, Yilmaz Girêsor came from a patriotic family from Siverek district of Urfa. From an early age, he opposed the attempts to turn children and young people into informers and agents. Aware of this, he worked in different areas of the Kurdish youth movement. Although he had many opportunities to integrate into the system, he rejected them and decided to join the guerrillas in the face of the attacks on Rojava. In 2018, he joined the guerrilla ranks.

The HPG stated that Girêsor was able to quickly integrate into life as a guerrilla fighter because of his life experience. "He participated in the tasks as much as he loved life, this was always visible even in daily practical work. Yilmaz Girêsor became a commander and participated in many successful actions in Avaşîn in a leading role.”

About his last moments of the fallen guerrilla, the statement said; "Our companion Yilmaz had taken command of the positions at the Kartal hill. There he showed an unyielding attitude towards the attacking enemy. Although the enemy attacked with all his technology, Yilmaz did not move a millimeter away from resistance and terrified the enemy. The latter, as usual, then resorted to inhumane methods and tried to achieve results with chemical weapons. Our friend Yilmaz became the symbol of resistance at Kartal hill when he blew himself up with a hand grenade and fell a martyr in order not to fall into the hands of the enemy under the influence of gas."

HPG expressed their condolences to the Kurdish people and the family of Yilmaz Girêsor and vowed that the attitude of the martyrs will be a model in the further struggle.