For 58 days, relatives of fallen guerrillas have been protesting at the Sêmalka border crossing in Rojava, demanding that the South Kurdistan’s ruling party KDP hand over the bodies of guerrilla fighters killed in an ambush by its forces.
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 58th day of the protest.
Members of the PYD (Democratic Union Party) Qamishlo Xerbi neighborhood administration have taken over the vigil today.
Speaking here, PYD Xerbi neighborhood administrator Kamûran Levend stated that their action will continue until the KDP gives back the bodies of the guerrillas killed by its forces.
“We will not end our vigil until we get the bodies, even if it takes us years,” he stressed.
Condemning the KDP’s betrayal of the Kurdish people’s freedom struggle, Levend called on the Kurds to enhance the struggle against the KDP betrayal.
