The Press Liaison Centre of the Eastern Kurdistan Defence Units (YRK) released a statement announcing the martyrdom of two guerrillas as a result of a Turkish attack in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

According to the statement on Wednesday, the two guerrillas, Berxwedan Kelhor and Rêdûr Baz, lost their lives in a Turkish aerial attack in the Pencewîn district of Sulaymaniyah on 11 November 2023.

Paying tribute to martyr Berxwedan Kelhor, YRK said: "Our comrade Berxwedan Kelhor was born in 1980 in a patriotic family in Shabad in Kermanshah. He grew up in the difficulties of the system, he never lost hope. Difficulties led him to seek a free life. When he read Leader Apo's (Abdullah Öcalan) books at university, he recognised the Kurdish Freedom Movement and gradually deepened his search for life. With the Rojava Revolution, he developed an interest in getting to know Leader Apo's ideas and philosophy closely and questioned life. In 2017, he joined the guerrilla ranks and saw this as the right decision he made in his life. For a while, he turned to the field of revolution and laboured in Rojavayê (West) Kurdistan and fought against ISIS.  Our comrade Berxwedan Kelhor participated in struggle with a self-sacrificing, humble and unwavering stance. He was always loved and respected by his friends. The feeling he had at the beginning when he recognised the Freedom Movement grew as he read Leader Apo and gained experience in guerrilla life, and he worked with great sacrifice. Comrade Berxwedan Kelhor, like Şahîn Dalaho, Rizgar Zirne, Diyako Kelhor and dozens of sons from the region, vitalised the heroism and wrestling heritage of the Kelhor region in the Freedom Movement. In this respect, he also kept the reality of the region alive and became a follower."

The statement continued: “Martyr Rêdûr Baz was born in Maku, also in a patriotic family. He grew up with stories about Kurdistan guerrillas in his childhood. He grew up in a family and regional environment which witnessed both martyrs and participation in the Freedom Movement. This had a great influence on his participation in the guerrilla ranks. At a young age, he met the pressures of the Iranian state and turned towards the guerrilla ranks. He had a stance that always showed improvement in life. At the same time, by educating himself and getting to know the reality of Leader Apo more and more every day, he wanted to get to know the reality of both himself and his country closely. The more Comrade Rêdûr read and got to know Leader Apo, the more he strengthened his curiosity and excitement within the Freedom Movement. He was a friend who was always in search. This led him to overcome the obstacles in front of him, to develop and to be loved by his friends."

The YRK Press Liaison Centre expressed condolences to the families of both martyrs and to all patriotic Kurdistan people and said, "We once again state that we will protect the legacy of our comrades until the end. We promise that we will walk in their path and further expand our struggle until we bring the dreams of our martyrs to victory."

The identity information of the two martyrs is as follows:

First-Last Name: Îslam Cehanfer

Nom de Guerre: Berxwedan Kelhor

Date and Place of Participation: 2017- Pêncewîn

Date and Place of Martyrdom: 2023- Pêncewîn

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First-Last Name: Hesen Sebûrî

Nom de Guerre:  Rêdûr Baz

Date and Place of Participation: 2023- Dembat

Date and Place of Martyrdom: 2023- Pêncewîn