The guerrilla who fell as a martyr in July in Nusaybin (Nisêbîn), in the province of Mardin (Mêrdîn) has been named as Destan Botan. The press center of the People's Defense Forces (HPG), released the identity of the fallen guerrilla in Behdînan on Monday.

Destan Botan was in Nusaybin on a mission and fell a martyr on 25 July in a self-sacrificing action. She was a member of the Kurdish freedom movement and a fighter for the Free Women's Troops (YJA Star). The HPG said that the guerrilla was surrounded by hundreds of security forces, against whom she fought alone for hours. In order not to be captured, she fought to the last moment.

"Destan" means "legend"

The HPG stated that Destan Botan's fight was as legendary as her name, and underlined her courageous attitude and wholehearted involvement. "As long as there are such brave, fearless, combative, rebellious and free-spirited women and pioneers among our people, the hope for a free life will remain alive," the statement said. The HPG expressed condolences to the relatives, the population of Botan and the people of Kurdistan.

 Nom de Guerre: Destan Botan

 First and last name: Kader Acar

 Place of birth: Şirnak

 Mother and father’s name: Leyla–Mehmet

 Date and place of death: 25 July 2023 / Nusaybin

Destan Botan was born in the Cizre district of Şirnak in the Botan region. Several generations of freedom fighters have emerged from this region in Northern Kurdistan. The Kurdish liberation movement is firmly anchored in Botan, and the slogan “Bijî Serok Apo” (Long live Chairman Apo) is one of the first words learned by many small children. Destan grew up in a similar environment. Her uncle, Abdullah Acar, was killed when she was young. She went to state schools for ten years and dropped out because she saw those schools as an instrument of assimilation. In 2014 she went to the mountains and joined the guerrillas.

Guerrilla life was a long-cherished dream that Destan Botan realized and lived to the fullest. As a young woman, she left the constraints of society and immersed herself with great enthusiasm in the collective atmosphere, which she perceived as a space for unlimited development opportunities and freedom. She recognized that the guerrilla is not just an armed fighting army, but at the same time represents the prototype for a free life, a community in which individualistic and consumer-oriented habits are overcome.

After her basic training in Heftanin, Destan Botan went into practice. While gaining initial experience in guerrilla life, she continued her education on her own initiative. She read a lot and dealt with the women's liberation ideology presented by Abdullah Öcalan and the history of Kurdistan. The HPG described Destan Botan as a “bright, hard-working and intelligent woman who consistently put into practice what she learned and felt was right.”

When the Islamic State invaded Shengal in August 2014, Destan was among the brave fighters who went to the region to defend the Yazidi population against genocide. The HPG said in its statement that “she took part in various works in Shengal, fought breathlessly and showed great commitment to the freedom of our Yazidi people. Comrade Destan gained experience and came back to the Medya Defense Areas when the HPG decided to withdraw completely from Shengal in 2018.”

Back in the mountains, Destan Botan took a course at a military academy and was trained as a sniper. After completing her training, she trained fighters herself for the next two years. During this time she learned what makes a commander. She developed her personality and assumed responsibility in a leading position.

As a free woman and a militant of the PKK and PAJK, Destan acted with awareness of her historical task and wanted to take on practical tasks after her time as an instructor. Her longing was for North Kurdistan and above all for Botan. She believed with all her heart that women had a mission of leadership, and she felt capable of doing it. She showed that in all moments of life. She was dynamic and always on the lookout. She focused on the roles of women and youth in people's revolutionary war strategy and participated in the work of the YPS (Yekîneyên Parastina Sîvîl / Civil Defense Units) to design new methods of struggle.

The HPG said: “Comrade Destan knew that freedom doesn't come without a price. She selflessly devoted herself to creating free life opportunities that the enemy had completely taken from us.” The HPG paid tribute to Destan Botan as a heroine and representative of Botan's tradition of resistance, which did not surrender and has gone down in the history of the struggle of the Kurdish people.