According to the information given by Rojava Cantons Representation Office to Roj News Agency, KDP-affiliated asayish forces at Sêmalka Border Gate have seized the body of U.S. volunteer Michael Israel.

Officials from Rojava Cantons Representation Office arrived at the Sêmalka border crossing to receive Michael Israel's body on his family's demand. The representatives from Rojava stated that KDP-affiliated asayish members abducted Israel's body.

The representatives from Rojava Cantons said the followings in a statement they gave to RojNews: "The family of the martyr (Israel) wanted to take their son's body to California and bury him there. Upon their demand, we took initiative and went to Semelka Border Gate but the asayish members here seized the martyr's body and abducted it to Duhok-Hewler on grounds of judicial control. All the martyrs must be respected without any discrimination. We hold the KDP responsible for any undesired results to emerge, and strongly criticize them due to this attitude of theirs."

Rojava representatives called on all relevant sides and particularly the U.S. representation office in Southern Kurdistan to act immediately in order to reclaim the martyr's body and hand it over to his family.

Michael Israel, nom de guerre Robîn Agirî, was among the first group of volunteers that arrived in Manbij after the liberation of the town, refusing the Turkish state’s incursion into Syria and the cruelty against civilians.

Robîn Agirî and another internationalist fighter Anton Leschek, nom de guerre Zana Ciwan, fell as martyrs during Turkish warplanes’ bombardment of MMC positions in western Manbij on November 26.

Born in California, USA, Robîn Agirî joined the revolution of Syrian peoples in July, 2016, saying “There is a revolution for the freedom of peoples in Rojava and North Syria. I came here to participate in this sacred struggle.”