Comrades of MLKP/KKÖ fighter Ayşe Deniz Karacagil (Destan Yörük) who lost her life during the operation to liberate Raqqa spoke about her on the first anniversary of her martyrdom.

Ayşe Deniz’s friends in the struggle said, “We will hold on to Destan’s red scarf and raise it higher in the Rojava Revolution.”

Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) fighter and a symbol of the Gezi Resistance with her red scarf Ayşe Deniz Karacagil (Destan Yörük) was in the frontlines against ISIS in the operation to liberate Raqqa as part of the Internationalist Brigade.MLKP/KKÖ (Communist Women’s Organization) fighter Ayşe Deniz was martyred in the operation to liberate Raqqa on May 29, 2017 along with YPG fighters Mixçilo Çekdar, Egid Urmiye and Delîl Kobanê. In the funeral ceremony in Kobanê, people from all four parts of Kurdistan rushed to the grounds. Fighters were bid farewell to in a military ceremony, and YPG, YPJ, MLKP, KKÖ, THKP-C MLSPB, BÖG, TKP/ML TİKKO fighters and Ayşe Deniz’s family, the Martyrs’ Families Association, TEV-DEM, Kongra-Star, SYPG, Jinên Azad Sosyalist, the Canton administration, Rojava Youth Union (YCR) representatives and the people of Kobanê participated in the ceremony among thousands of people.

Her comrades spoke of Ayşe Deniz, who turned towards the Rojava Revolution after the free mountains, on the first year of her martyrdom.

MLKP Spokesperson Beritan Asya said: “First, I want to respectfully remember all martyrs of the revolution. Thousands of freedom fighters gave their lives to create the Rojava revolution. Thousands more became followers of the revolution to protect the revolutioanry values. Our friend Destan Yörük was one of these thousands of freedom fighters.”

“WE WILL HOLD ON TO DESTAN’S RED SCARF”

Beritan Asya continued to talk about Ayşe Deniz: “Destan turned towards the free mountains due to Turkish state oppression, and from there towards the Rojava Revolution. In 2013, when all peoples rose up against the AKP fascism, Destan Yörük was among the symbols of the Gezi resistance. She was famous for her red scarf then. Destan lent her colors to the resistance as the ‘girl with the red scarf’, and was targeted by the Turkish state and AKP fascism. Destan didn’t bow down to AKP fascism, and the day she got out of the dungeons she turned towards the free mountains as an ideological response. Then she joined the Rojava revolution. What made Destan who she was was the magnitude of her faith. She considered the Rojava revolution to be a women’s revolution. Raqqa was the center of ISIS, and hundreds of women participated in the operation to liberate Raqqa under the lead of Kurdish female fighters. With the resistance of dozens of heroic martyr women, Raqqa was liberated. Today the Rojava revolution continues, from Revan to Destan to Avesta. And we repeat our promise for our struggle for freedom as Socialist Women to all freedom fighters in the person of Destan. With Destan’s beliefs and her legacy of struggle, we will complete the Rojava revolution. Like we took ISIS capital Raqqa for the memory of Destan and others, we will take back Afrin from the Turkish state with the same resolve and faith. We will succeed with the same spirit, and we will liberate the city. We will hold on to Destan’s red scarf, and raise it higher in the Rojava revolution. Martyrs never die.”

“HER STRUGGLE IS AN EXAMPLE FOR US”

Her comrade in the struggle YPJ member Sorxwîn Rojava said the following about Ayşe Karacagil: “As a YPJ fighter, I respectfully remember all the martyrs of the Rojava revolution. Friend Destan took her place in the Rojava revolution as a Turkish person. The Turkish state had put her in prison for her resistance. But she refused to bow down, and took to the mountains with her red scarf. Because she had resolved the reality of the enemy, especially of Erdoğan. Leader Apo’s free thinking pulled her towards the mountains. She fought to liberate both Êzidî and Arab women in the Raqqa operation. She fought fearlessly against ISIS. Her character and her struggle was an example for thousands of women, she gained a place in the hearts of thousands of women. In the ceremony, her mother spoke and said, ‘My daughter is not dead.’ She said she gifted Ayşe to Kurdistan and to Leader Apo. Her struggle is an example for us. To continue the struggle of heroic women such as her is a duty for us YPJ fighters. Like she knew the reality of the enemy and fought accordingly, we will remember our reality of the enemy and continue our fight, holding on to Leader Apo’s freedom ideology. The path of struggle for our martyrs will be our path of struggle.

“SHE KNEW DIRTY POLITICS AND SHE ACTED FOR FREEDOM AGAINST THEM”

Her comrade in the struggle Aveşta Qeremux said: “I remember Martyr Destan and all the martyrs of the revolution with respect. Comrade Destan knew Erdoğan’s dirty politics and she acted for freedom against them. Our comrade refused to bow down and she crowned her insurgency by taking to the mountains of freedom. The Turkish state issued her a big sentence despite her young age. Because her ideas were big. She comprehended that all women should be liberated with Leader Apo’s ideology. Then she continued her struggle for the freedom of all women. She participated in operations in the great struggle for freedom, she was part of the operation to liberate Raqqa, the capital of ISIS. I as a comrade to her in the struggle am proud of her. Because she fought for the freedom of women, regardless of their ethnicity. Her struggle and her resistance will be our path.