In Kobanê and Manbij cities in northern Syria, the people traditionally commemorated their February martyrs this week. Many residents visited the final resting places of the people who lost their lives in the struggle to defend the Rojava revolution, and lit candles at the graves of the fallen.

At the Manbij cemetery the ceremony began with a minute's silence. Mahmud al-Ido, co-chairman of the Council of Martyrs’ Families, spoke a few words and described the cemetery as a visible expression of Rojava's culture of remembrance.

Afterwards, Mahmud Ibrahim, a commander of the Manbij Military Council gave a short speech. He said that it is thanks to the achievements of the martyrs that terror has been driven out of the region and emphasized that; "We will not leave any inch of our liberated lands to anyone”.

In Kobanê hundreds of people flocked to the Şehîd Dîcle cemetery to remember their martyrs. Osman Ismail from the local Council of Martyrs’ Families said that the burial place is symbolic for all parts of Kurdistan.

"Kurds who came from all regions of our country to defend the revolution and gave their lives in the struggle are buried under this earth. This cemetery is a history of our country."