SORGUL ŞÊXO

Til Temir (Tell Tamer)- The Turkish state has intensified its attacks on North and East Syria since the end of November 2024. On December 19, 2024, journalists Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan were killed in a Turkish drone strike on the road between Tishreen Dam and the town of Sarrin while covering the clashes between Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Turkish-backed faction Syrian National Army (SNA). At the beginning of December 2024, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) declared a general mobilization in response to the attacks of Turkish-backed factions on North and East Syria.

 The people of Til Temir have formed a battalion named “Cihan and Nazım Battalion” in the memory of journalists Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan to mobilize against the attacks.

‘We will defend our region’

“We have taken up weapons to protect ourselves and defend our region since 2011,” said Dilşa Ebdilwehab, a member of the battalion. “We support the YPG and YPJ in defending our region to the end. It’s time to fight for our existence,” she added, calling on the Kurdish people to unite against the ongoing attacks.

 ‘Cihan was always with us’

Journalist Cihan Bilgin stayed in Til Temir for several months in 2019 to cover the Turkish attacks on Serêkanîyê (Ras al-Ayn).

Dilşa Ebdilwehab commemorated Cihan Bilgin and said, “We met Cihan Bilgin in Til Temir. She fought against the enemy with her camera. We will fight against the enemy with our weapons. Cihan was always with us and made our resistance be heard all around the world. I call on all women not to leave their homeland and to rise up for their own future in the spirit of the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ slogan.”

 ‘The four parts of Kurdistan should mobilize against the attacks’

Fehîma Ebdilrehman is the mother of Arjîn Cûdî, a fighter of the Women's Defense Units (YPJ) who lost her life while fighting against Al-Nusra Front in 2013. “We swear on the blood of the martyrs that we will never leave our homeland,” said 60-year-old Fehîma Ebdilrehman. “We get stronger as Erdoğan attacks us by using heavy weapons and warplanes. Kurdish, Arab and Syriac people live together here and we want to have a democratic and equal system. I call on all women to support the YPJ and the YPG.”

Fehîma Ebdilrehman is also a member of the battalion. “I have taken up my daughter’s weapon to follow in her footsteps. My daughter was martyred while fighting against the Turkish state and Turkish-backed armed groups. Women should no longer accept slavery, we, as women, have many rights. Erdoğan uses warplanes to attack our region because he is defeated. We have a strong will and weapons. The four parts of Kurdistan should mobilize against the attacks.”

‘Women should strengthen their self-defense’

“We have formed a battalion to defend our homeland,” said Nûra Mihemed Tahir. “We are dedicated to defend Til Temir. In 2015, we defended it and we are determined to defend it in 2025. I call on all women to raise their voices against massacres. Women should strengthen their self-defense. Cihan resisted by using her camera, we will resist by using our weapons.”