DELAL REMEZAN

Hasakah- Zeynep Saroxan, who grew up in a patriotic family and engaged in the Kurdish Freedom Movement at a young age, struggled to build a society based on democracy and equality. Born in Hasakah in 1981, she had 12 siblings; eight sisters and four brothers. After graduating from the Higher Institute of Applied Science and Technology, she worked as a teacher in her city, Hasakah.

After the revolution in Rojava started, she played an important role in establishing the Women's Council of the Democratic Union Party (PYD). At the 6th Congress of the PYD, she was elected as Co-chair of the Women's Council of the Jazeera Region and then she was elected as Co-chair of the Justice Department of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. Zeynep Saroxan, who worked in the Jazeera Region for three months, played an important role in establishing a center aiming to protect children and women in Hasakah.

She was killed by a Turkish drone

On September 27, 2023, Zeynep Saroxan and her colleague Yılmaz Shero were targeted and killed by a Turkish drone on the road between Derîk and Girkê Legê, North and East Syria, after visiting rehabilitation centers. Since women of North and East Syria play an important role in politics, diplomacy, economy, social life and culture, they are often targeted by the Turkish state.

‘She was the symbol of resistance and struggle’

In an interview with NuJINHA, Halime Hüseyin (80), mother of Zeynep Saroxan, said that her daughter was engaged in the Kurdish Freedom Movement since her childhood. “Our house was a place for meetings. Zeynep always wanted to attend the meetings because she wanted to learn more about the Kurdish Freedom Movement. I always told her that she was very young and she should complete her education. After the revolution in Rojava started, she began to work for the Democratic Union Party (PYD). She spent most of her time working. She visited many areas in Syria and was the symbol of resistance and struggle.”

‘Erdoğan must be held accountable in international court’

Halime Hüseyin never forgets the day when she heard that her daughter had been killed in a Turkish drone attack. “Everything in our house reminds me of her. She was martyred while fighting for freedom. These lands are our lands, the lands of our ancestors. The Turkish state attacks us by using inhumane methods and internationally banned weapons with the support of the guarantor countries. We, as the mothers of martyrs, demand the killers of our children, including Erdoğan, be held accountable in international court. Erdoğan must be held accountable in international court. We will maintain our children's struggle.”