The remains of two PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) guerrillas recovered in a mass grave in Mardin's Mazıdağı district will be sent to the Forensic Medicine Institution in Istanbul.

The bones of two Kurdish guerrillas, artist Ali Temel and Ali Kevci, were recovered as a result of excavations led by the IHD (Human Rights Association) under the supervision of public prosecutor of Mazıdağı.

Temel and Kevci had died in clashes with the Turkish army in the area of Gübre caves near Ürdünlü village of Mazıdağı district on 9 July 1994.

The excavation of the mass graves has recently been started upon the Temel and Kevci families applied to IHD to find the bones of their children. The families' demand for the excavation has been rejected for the last 17 years, still they never gave up the legal struggle they have given through IHD branches of Diyarbakır and Mardin.

The prosecutor’s office of Mardin has so far denied permission for the excavation of the mass grave in Girê Sergo region, even after DIHA (Dicle News Agency) published a video last year of some human bones already seen in the worn away grave.

The excavation has also been monitored by Mazıdağı mayor HasipAktaş, Derik deputy mayor Doğan Özbahçeci, municipal council members, DTK (Democratic Society Congress) delegates, BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Mardin, Derik and Mazıdağı executives as well as activists of MEYADER and MKM (Mesopotamia Cultural Center). The bones of two bodies were recovered in the grave but none had a skull.

The remains of PKK guerrillas will be sent to the Forensic Medicine Institution in Istanbul for examination.

Ali Temel had been jailed in 1981 in Diyarbakır prison. After being freed in 1990, Temel founded the group Koma Çiya, which became famous with the tape "Rozerin".

Temel also worked for the cultural pages of Özgür Ülke newspaper while at the same time continuing to go on stage with his music group.