On the first anniversary of their martyrdom, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) held a memorial ceremony for the leaders and fighters of the Counter-Terrorism Units (YAT) who were martyred in a helicopter crash on March 15, 2023, while en route to the city of Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The ceremony was attended by SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi, members of the SDF General Command, the families of the martyrs, and a delegation from the International Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

The ceremony began with a moment of silence for the martyrs, followed by a military parade by SDF fighters. Commander-in-Chief Abdi then delivered a speech in which he highlighted the role of the martyrs in the founding of the YAT and praised their heroism in fighting the ISIS terrorist organization and repelling attacks of Turkish occupation and its mercenaries. He also emphasized their significant role in carrying out numerous successful military campaigns.

SDF Commander-in-Chief Abdi pledged to continue the martyrs’ struggle on the first anniversary of their martyrdom.

In his speech, Abdi stated that they had pledged last year, at the time of the martyrdom of these leaders and fighters, to continue their struggle, strengthen the YAT, and develop the forces and military institutions in general. This is what the SDF has been working on throughout the past period. He added, “We reaffirm that we are committed to strengthening our military forces, especially in the area of deepening and expanding military training to provide our fighters with high-level combat experience.”

Abdi concluded his speech by saying, “We address the martyr, YAT Commander Shervan Kobani, and his fellow martyrs, saying that the banner that your comrades received from you is still flying high, and it will remain so until the final victory is achieved.”

The Commander-in-Chief then presented memorial shields to the families of the martyrs as a token of loyalty and commitment to their legacy.

The delegation from the International Coalition participating in the ceremony also presented a wreath of flowers in memory of the martyrs. The martyrs had coordinated their work with the Coalition, which yielded impressive results at the time.