Guerrilla Bêrîtan Tanya Fecir fell as a martyr in an attack by the Turkish army in the region of Besta in North Kurdistan in July 2023.

The press center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG) said on Wednesday that information about her death had been confirmed. Her body was exhumed from an unmarked grave in a cemetery in Şirnak on Tuesday after a DNA match and handed over to her relatives.

Bêrîtan Tanya Fecir was a guerrilla doctor and fighter for the Free Women’s Units (YJA Star). The HPG paid tribute to the guerrilla doctor who devotedly cared for wounded comrades. The HPG expressed its condolences to the relatives and people of Kurdistan and said the following about the guerrilla:

  Codename: Bêrîtan Tanya Fecir

  First and last name: Selma Şavlığ

  Place of birth: Istanbul

  Names of mother and father: Perihan – Hasan

  Date and place of death: 12 July 2023 / Besta

Bêrîtan Tanya Fecir was born in Istanbul. Her family came from Bedlîs-Xelat. Although her parents had lived outside Kurdistan for a long time, they taught their children the Kurdish language and cultur. Bêrîtan became active in the Kurdish youth movement and joined the guerrillas in the Zagros Mountains in 2008.

The guerrilla was a free living space for Bêrîtan Tanya Fecir. She was very impressed by the collective life in the nature of Kurdistan. Fighting armed against the enemy as a free woman and being part of an organized struggle increased her self-confidence. With this self-confidence, she took an active part in guerrilla life.

She studied Abdullah Öcalan's women's liberation ideology and made this philosophy her basis for life. With her discipline and attentive approach, she quickly gained the trust of her comrades.

After a short time in the mountains, she completed training in the health sector and has been called “Doctor Bêrîtan” ever since. In the following years, she practiced as a guerrilla doctor in Cîlo, Zap, Xakurke and Xinêre. During the most violent phases of the war, she worked tirelessly at the front to care for the sick and injured.

Bêrîtan Tanya Fecir was known everywhere for her sacrifice. At the same time, she fought resolutely against patriarchal behavior. In order to further develop herself as a free woman, she took part in training at the military academy for women named after the legendary guerrilla commander Bêrîtan. In 2018, at her own persistent suggestion, she went to Botan as a guerrilla doctor. However, she did not limit herself to her work in the health sector, but dealt with all dimensions of the war. She analyzed the enemy attacks and made suggestions regarding guerrilla tactics. Among her comrades were very valuable people, such as the commanders Egîd Civyan and Leyla Sorxwîn, who later fell a martyr.

Comrade Bêrîtan fell in an enemy attack in Besta on 12 July 2023."