Guerrilla and war correspondent Arhat Ba (Şakir Ek), who informed the world with news and reports on the struggle of the guerrillas, fulfilled his duty and responsibility until the very last moment. Today dozens of war reporters on the mountains of Kurdistan are doing their job under the banner of Arhat.

Arhat was born and grew up in the village of Girhabeş (Karatepe) in Amed's Bismil district. After finishing grammar school, he betook himself in 2011 to Turkey's metropolises to start his study at the university next. He enrolled in the Hacettepe University in Ankara for philosophy studies. However all the dry rot learning in the philosophy course caught him flat-footed. He had gone to Hacettepe with greater expectations, but those dreams were already shattered in the first few lessons he attended. He was an applicant for knowledge, who desired to understand the universe, the nature, humans and life. Yet at the first stage of his quest already, he learned that the schools at which he was supposed to study, will on the contrary impede his searching. For that reason his quest on the trail of knowledge and wisdom, truth and infinity was infused with a new drive. His thoughts rested on the PKK and Kurdistan. The deeper his world of questioning became, the more he concluded that the optimal place to attain knowledge of the language of the universe, nature, humans and life were the mountains of Kurdistan. And he embarked upon that journey. He was free of any incertitude. And on 22 April 2012 he left the Ankara city and headed off on the trace of the truth. He dedicated five years of his lifespan to this path. Five immeasurably filled years.

HE JOINED THE GUERRILLA PRESS

Arhat joined from 2015 onwards the press of the guerrilla. Following the education he received at the Martyr Deniz Firat Press School of the Media and Journalism Centre of the HPG (People's Defence Forces), he started his work as a war correspondent in the guerrilla zones. He implemented the tradition of the free press inherited by Halil Dağ successfully in the mountains. In the winter, amidst frost and coldness, rain and mud, under most strenuous circumstances and conditions he wandered around the emplacements of the guerrillas and filmed every moment of the life, spirit, enthusiasm and anger of the guerrillas. He recorded with great excitement the affection and dedication his heart harboured for the guerrillas with his camera. He got in particular the war that was raging in Kurdistan following the attacks of the Turkish state on the 24th July, second for second on his camera. He became one of those, who informed the outside world of the spirit of Kurdistan's guerrillas’ new maneuver era.

‘SAET XWEŞ’ ENGRAVED IN MEMORIES

Arhat became one of those who documented the methods and tactics of the guerrillas in war time the best. He followed the actions that were carried out on the Çukurca and Uludere route first hand and filmed the moments of the action. On 13 May 2016, he filmed the downing of a Turkish Cobra helicopter that was shot down by the guerrilla in Hakkari’s Çukurca district, and let the world witness that moment. His call "saet xweş", meaning well done, he shouted the instant the helicopter was hit, illustrated the spirit of the new era.

Arhat was also present with his arm and camera during a guerrilla action against a military convoy on the Khabour road in Şırnak’s Uludere district, as well as during an action against the Turkish military base in Hill Yekmal. On 10 August 2016 he fell a martyr during that grand action, after filming his last scenes, together with three of his comrades.

HE WAS A PKK MEMBER IN EVERY ASPECT

PKK Executive Committee Member Murat Karayilan said the following in remembrance of Arhat: "Comrade Arhat has dedicated himself to the freedom struggle of Kurdistan in every aspect. He felt a big wrath towards the enemy and always strived to be in the heaviest embattled zones. He was in every way skilful and a labourer. He was a good guerrilla, a good commander and a good press member. He was through and through a member of the PKK in terms of his personality, his work and his life. In one hand he carried a camera, in the other an arm. With this stance of his, he gave the people hope.

From the breakout of the war in 2015, the AKP kept the number of their casualties hidden. The scenes of the actions which Arhat filmed, however, proved those lies wrong and showed that the truth cannot be concealed. Thanks to precious comrades like him, our resistance has gained new achievements and made some huge steps forward. Like Halil, Cesur, Arjîn, Deniz and Nûjiyan, he fought against the enemy from many aspects and showed their faithfulness to our movement. He marched on the path of the traditions and martyrs of the mountain press. In a time, in which wars are led on informational level, comrade Arhat became the greatest respond with his work as a war reporter."

HE WAS VERY LOYAL TO HIS COUNTRY

One of Arhat's guerrilla comrades Milîtan Efrîn remembered Arhat with following words: "When comrade Arhat came to the mountains he first came to us. The first female guerrilla who got to know him was me. He was immensely excited to meet a female guerrilla. He was constantly inquiring after the life of the guerrilla. He was awfully curious about our life style. He was in fact so much excited, that he wouldn’t sleep that night. He met the female guerrillas with utmost respect and appreciation and approached them with a deep soul. He was a stalwart of Leader Apo's course for the freedom of women. He was indeed immensely devoted to the values and his homeland. He loved in particular Eastern (Rojhilat) Kurdistan much. From the comrades that came from Rojhilat, he learned a lot about that part of his country. He knew the culture, music and halay dances of the eastern part of Kurdistan and kept saying that one day he would visit Rojhilat. In the footage of the downing of the cobra, I recognized him by his voice, and was filled with happiness."

HE USED TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO SENSE THINGS

Sara Tolhildan, who worked together with Arhat in the press in Heftanîn region, said: "Comrade Arhat came to Heftanîn in 2015 and we started to work together. He observed life and his surroundings with great attention. He used to be the first to sense the concealed side that life offered. He used to see the most beautiful laughing on the face of guerrillas, the mysterious side of the mountains and filmed it on his camera. The details were perceived by him more than anyone else. When we went together to some comrades to conduct our work, he always conversed with each and every one of them. He loved to enter the world of the guerrillas. He was mirthful and enthusiastic and left with these attributes of his an impact on the comrades. He did his job with great precision. And he worked in the media with all his heart. The source of this was his faithfulness to the movement. His voice heard the moment the helicopter was downed, filled all of us with excitement. Everyone felt the confidence that emanated from his voice, which gave us strength. After those scenes we levelled up our efforts anyway. His voice bore the courage and confidence of the guerrilla. It left a deep impact on us as well as on our people. Today there are dozens like Arhat on the mountains."