The guerrilla fighter who fell on Thursday in the province of Bitlis (Bedlîs) was named as Güven Özcan (code name Rêdûr Sîser). The identity of the martyr was announced by the People's Defense Forces (HPG) in Behdînan on Sunday.

The statement issued by the press office of the HPG said: "The Turkish occupying army has been conducting a full-scale and uninterrupted operation in the Xîzan area of Garzan since the beginning of July. Thousands of soldiers and contras were used in the operation. The area was bombed from the air by fighter jets and helicopters for days, and armored vehicles were used on the ground. A curfew was imposed in ten villages, and the army frantically bombarded all creatures that moved in the area. The continuous attacks by the Turkish army in Garzan this month have once again demonstrated the state in which the great fear of the Kurdistan freedom guerrillas has brought the enemy."

The statement added: "A group of our comrades resisted the operation for a month and came into contact with the enemy several times. Our comrade Rêdûr was wounded in one of these contacts, but he persevered and fought with great determination. He put up heroic resistance in his last stand against the enemy. He fell on 27 July under heavy bombardment.

Heval Rêdûr showed supreme sacrifice throughout his combat life and in the last 26 days of his resistance. This resistance was an example of attachment to sublime values and irreversible revolutionary determination. The incomparable courage and determination of our brave comrades in the face of attacks by thousands of soldiers with fighter jets, helicopters and armored vehicles will go down in history. Our people will never forget these heroes and their very meaningful and valuable resistance. In the heart of the patriotic people of Kurdistan these sacrificial militants will always be remembered."

The HPG extend their condolences to the family of the martyr and the Kurdish people.

  First and last name: Güven Özcan
  Place of birth: Bedlîs
  Names of mother and father: Gulhayat - Sabri
  Date and place of death: July 27, 2023 / Garzan

Rêdûr Sîser was born in the Güroymak (Norşîn) in the province of Bitlis. He grew up in a village with the values and culture of the people of the Kurdish region of Garzan. He attended a Turkish state school for eight years, but preferred to be in the village and in nature. To support his family, he worked as a shepherd and other jobs. Because his uncle and cousin fought in the Kurdish liberation movement, he had an emotional bond with the guerrillas since he was a child. He heard stories about the freedom fighters in the mountains that shaped his thoughts and feelings. In 2015, he joined them in his native Garzan.

In the mountains, Rêdûr Sîser immediately went into practice after basic training. He quickly got used to his new environment, where conditions were difficult and the enemy was in constant proximity. With his practical nature, he immediately understood what was needed and acted accordingly.

After almost three years in Garzan, Rêdûr Sîser went to the Medya Defense Area in 2017. He specialized in the use of semi-automatic weapons and dealt with modern combat tactics. After that, he took part in the work of the central headquarters and, with great discipline and consistency, took on responsibilities in various areas, including the fortification of defensive and combat positions.