SYPG and the Martyrs’ Families Association held a memorial for the 33 revolutionaries on the second anniversary of the Pirsus (Suruç) Massacre. With a ceremony held in Kobanê’s Peyman neighborhood, the Pirsus Martyrs Park was opened in memory of the martyrs.

The memorial was held under the slogan, “We defended it together, we will rebuild together, their dreams won’t be left incomplete”. Kobanê Canton Defense Council Chairperson Ismet Şex Hesen was present in the memorial service, with thousands of other guests including representatives from political parties.

Photographs of Pirsus martyrs adorned the ceremony grounds. Following a minute’s silence, the park was opened by the Martyrs Families Assembly, SYPG and the children of Kobanê. Photographs of the 33 martyrs were put up in the park later on.

Arif Bali gave a speech in the name of the Martyrs’ Families Assembly in theceremony and pointed out that the Pirsus martyrs made a great sacrifice to bring toys to Kobanê’s children and stated that they were targeted as they wanted to fulfill their humanitarian duty.

Arif Bali said the Pirsus martyrs live on in the hearts of Kobanê’s children: “They were martyred for the children of Kobanê”

Beritan Asya from SYPG stated that the fascist Turkish state set gangs loose on the revolutionaries in Pirsus two years ago to carry out this massacre and added that they attempted to break the will of he people of Kobanê with this attack.

Asya mentioned Erdoğan’s comments of, “Kobanê is about to fall,” and stated that the children of Kobanê wrote a great epic in their own blood, standing against ISIS gangs and liberating their city. Asya said they opened the park in Kobanê for children to make the Pirsus martyrs’ dreams they died for a reality.

After the speeches, there was a screening of a film on the Pirsus massacre.

Then the attendees went to Kaniya Kurdan to light 33 candles in memory of the 33 martyrs.