More young people are joining the guerrillas following the call of the youth movements of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) and PAJK (Party of Free Women in Kurdistan), Komalên Ciwan and Komalên Jinên Ciwan.

On the anniversary of the 15 August Breakthrough, when the Kurdish guerrillas fired the first bullet at the Turkish army in North Kurdistan in 1984, 20 young women joined the guerrilla ranks.

The young women coming from four parts of Kurdistan made a press statement in the guerrilla areas announcing their participation in the armed struggle, stating the following:

“While the hegemonic powers have attacked the Kurdish people ceaselessly up until today, Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) has been fighting a relentless struggle against these attacks for 50 years in order for the Kurdish people to have an identity, a country and a language. The sovereign powers took Leader Apo captive through an international conspiracy in an attempt to annihilate the struggle of the Kurdish people and to prevent his ideas and philosophy from spreading in the Middle East. With the captivity of Leader Apo, the Turkish state believed it would be able to eliminate the PKK and annihilate the Kurdish people. The resistance of Leader Apo on the Imrali Island for 25 years has, however, frustrated the dreams of the enemy and proved the fact that the ideas and philosophy of Leader Apo could never be wiped out, as they spread not only in the Middle East but in the entire world.

As is known, no news has been received from Leader Apo for over two years and our leader is subjected to strict isolation. The attempts made by his lawyers and family members for a meeting with him all failed. Leader Apo is exposed to disciplinary penalties and given threatening letters. In the face of the isolation and torture suffered by Leader Apo, so-called democratic institutions cooperate with the invading fascist Turkish state.

The Rojava Revolution led by women is based on Leader Apo’s ideas and philosophy of Leader Apo, which also deeply inspires us, young women, as well as women all over the world. The ‘Jin Jiyan Azadî’ (Woman, Life, Freedom) revolution that echoes all over the world today gathers thousands of women around it. This is why the occupying states attack the voice of women’s freedom, and their identity and existence. In this way, they seek revenge on Leader Apo. In response, we will continue rejecting the corrupt system and deliver the heaviest blow to the enemy. As young women, we embrace the revolution of women under the slogan ‘Jin Jiyan Azadi’, which is the legacy of thousands of women who sacrificed their lives for this cause. This is the mission entrusted to us by Leader Apo and we pledge to fulfil it with the decision we have made.  

As young people, we do not accept a life without the leader. Uniting around the slogan ‘You cannot darken our sun’, we will move step by step towards a free and honorable life. We want to live in a free Kurdistan, together with the leader. A country under occupation is not acceptable to us. On this basis, we, young women, have decided to take a major step and taken to the mountains for a free and honorable life. As long as our country is occupied, our leader is not physically free, young women and men have no choice but to take the freedom path.

We salute the call of our party PKK and PAJK to the youth in four parts of Kurdistan and we answer it as a group of young women. We have made our decision to lead a free life and take revenge. Other young women should also take to the free mountains. We promise to avenge our people who are faced with massacres every day. We promise to take revenge for every part of Kurdistan occupied by the enemy, for the guerrillas brutally killed in chemical attacks. We promise to follow in the footsteps of the martyrs. The fact that we can speak these words, experience such a revolution and speak our language today is thanks to the guerrillas who have inflicted major blows on the invading enemy.

As young people, we are devotees of Leader Apo and act with the spirit of his saying ‘We started young and we will triumph young’. We call upon young women in all parts of Kurdistan and all the youngsters whose hearts beat for freedom to follow in the footsteps of the martyrs and the likes of Zilan, Sara, Ruken, Vejin and Viyan.

We celebrate the 39th anniversary of 15 August, the Day of Resurrection. We promise to avenge all the martyrs in the person of those who fell in Zap, Avashin and Metina, and to embrace their legacy. We promise to secure the physical freedom of Leader Apo. It is time for his freedom and vengeance.”