On August 29, seven guerrilla fighters were ambushed by KDP special forces in the southern Kurdish region of Xelîfan. Five guerrillas were killed in the ambush, while two survived. Haki Zîlan, one of the survivors of the attack, reported that the KDP special forces riddled the bodies of the guerrilla fighters with bullets in order to kill any survivors. This qualifies the ambush as an extrajudicial execution and thus a war crime. Although three months have passed since the attack, the KDP is not handing over the bodies of the fighters to their relatives.

Since October 5, a vigil has been held by relatives of the martyrs at the Sêmalka crossing on the border from Rojava to South Kurdistan. The relatives are demanding the remains of YJA-Star commander Nesrin Temir and HPG fighter Yusif Ibrahim, both of whom were from Rojava. The action is supported by the Council of Martyrs’ Families in the Cizîrê region. Delegations of mothers repeatedly attempted to reach South Kurdistan to voice their protest; however, they were prevented from crossing the border by the KDP's border troops.

Solidarity visits to the families at the Sêmalka border crossing continued on the 59th day of the protest.

The Cizre Region's Internal Security Committee and affiliated Internal Security Forces, Women's Public Security Forces, and Transportation Directorate employees paid a visit to the vigil today. The crowd marched to the tent chanting slogans, and observed a minute’s silence in memory of the martyrs.

'WE WILL REACH OUR GOAL'

Following the moment of silence, Hemrin Eli, Co-Chair of the Internal Security Committee, made a press statement. Greeting the resistance of families, Hemrin Eli made the following remarks: "The Rojava Revolution has reached its current position through resistance and battle. They are trying to undermine the revolution's successes and the values achieved by our martyrs through betrayal. We will achieve our aim of freedom for our people and peoples by spreading the struggle from now on, just like we did in the Rojava Revolution despite all the challenges.”

Stating that the Kurdish, Arab and Syriac peoples have taken a common stance against betrayal, Hemrin Eli pointed out that treason has reached a new level with the denial of the bodies of martyrs to their families, and said, “Now is the time for freedom and brotherhood. It is time for everyone to take a stand against betrayal.”

CALL AGAINST KDP’S TREACHERY

Hemrin Eli invited the people to fight against the betrayal of the KDP and said: “Our martyrs sacrifice their life for freedom, but we are barred from receiving their remains. If we do not denounce the betrayal now, we will pay the price afterwards, and history will judge us. We must defend our martyrs who have brought us to these days. Today cannot be a day of silence. Everyone should express their rage about this treachery.  The treachery will lose, and  resistance will triumph.”

After the statement, the Internal Security Committee delegation went to the protest tent to express their solidarity with the activists.