The protest action at the Sêmalka border crossing between Rojava and Southern Kurdistan continues. Since the beginning of October, relatives of those killed have been demanding the handover of the bodies of guerrilla fighters who died in an ambush by special forces of Barzani’s party KDP in August. Two of the fallen guerrillas were from north-east Syria and their relatives want to bury them with dignity. This is the only demand of the protest that has been going on for two and a half months.

Mothers of the martyrs have tried several times in vain to cross the bridge over the Tigris River to demand the bodies of their children in Southern Kurdistan. On Wednesday, youth activists were attacked by KDP security forces on the bridge over the border. The next day, the Pêşxabûr crossing was closed by the KDP without notice.

Rama Seydo is a member of the Til Temir People's Council and, despite the cold, perseveres with other activists at the protest tent erected at the border at Sêmalka. On the closure of the Pêşxabûr crossing, she says: "The enemy is trying to cut the connection between the four parts of Kurdistan anyway. Now the connection between Bashur and Rojava has been cut. The KDP has closed the border on flimsy grounds."

Rama says that the KDP responded to the demand for the bodies to be handed over by closing the border: "Even though the border is closed, we will continue our action."