Newroz celebrations have been taking place all over Kurdistan, including in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). The celebrations by the guerrillas are a special sign of strength, as the areas are under constant attack from Turkey.

Guerrillas of YJA Star (Free Women’s Troops) organised a Newroz celebration with torches in the mountains of Kurdistan.

A press statement was made in a tunnel facility of the guerrilla forces before the celebration. The statement emphasised that even though there are oppressors like Dehaqs in history, there are also heroes like Kawa the Blacksmith and the likes of Mazlum against them.

Drawing attention to the international campaign for the freedom of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and a political solution to the Kurdish question, the statement said, "This campaign shows that Leader Öcalan’s paradigm has become universal."

Noting that Öcalan’s struggle in İmralı has spread all over the world from Europe to Africa, the guerrillas celebrated the Newroz of Abdullah Öcalan, those resisting in prisons, resilient mothers for peace, the guerrillas and the peoples of the world with the spirit of "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" (Woman, Life, Freedom).

After the statement, the female guerrillas lit torches and came out of the tunnel chanting slogans and singing anthems of resistance.