Five guerrillas were killed and two others injured in the Xelîfan region in South Kurdistan in August 2021 as a consequence of an ambush by armed forces linked with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which is engaged in Turkey's activities against the Federal Kurdistan Region. Families of the two guerrillas from Rojava, Tolhildan Raman and Serdem Cudi, who are among the five slain guerrillas, have since been trying to cross from North and East Syria to the Kurdistan Region through the Semalka Border Crossing to receive the bodies of their martyrs. On the 5th of October, the Cizîre District Martyrs' Families Council and families of HPG members began a vigil in response to the blockade.

The mothers and relatives joining the protest action in a tent at Semelka border crossing for 91 days have repeatedly been denied entry to South Kurdistan by the KDP forces, and have been put off with false promises. The KDP had promised to hand over the bodies of the martyrs to the families, but so far nothing has happened. The relatives are determined to continue their protest action until they succeed.

Ehmed Mehmud, co-chair of the Dirbesiyê Workers' Union, participated in the action today and said that all civil organizations and unions support the action.

Mehmud stated that the ruling party of the Kurdistan regional government closed the border crossing rather than answering the demands of the families of the martyrs and the activists. He added that they would continue the action until they received the bodies of the martyrs.

The Semalka border crossing was established between the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq and the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria during the Syrian Civil War. The border crossing has been intermittently closed by the KDP.

'KDP IS WRONG, WE WILL NOT RENOUNCE OUR DEMAND'

Hesen Ebo, the father of Eli Ebo (Dilbirîn Baz) who was martyred in Raqqa in 2017, also said that they insist on their action, adding, “The people of Rojava had many martyrs in Bashur (South Kurdistan) and are ready to pay further prices.”

“The KDP believes that it will starve the local people by closing the border crossings. However, the people of Rojava do not renounce their rights and demands. The embargo does not affect us. We will fight and continue our action until we receive the bodies of martyrs,” Hesen Ebo said in reaction to the KDP's closing of the border crossing.