Graves in Afrin destroyed: We will rebuild our children’s graves
"Mothers of fighters, whose graves were destroyed by the Turkish state in Afrin, think the attacks on their children’s graves are the attacks against their identity. “One day, we will return to Afrin and rebuild their graves.”
HESNA MIHEMED
Shahba- The Turkish state and its armed factions have continued their attacks in Afrin since they occupied the city on March 18, 2018. The Turkish state has carried out all kinds of inhuman practices against the citizens. According to the received reports, the Turkish forces and Turkish-backed factions have destroyed the graves of fighters in Afrin by ignoring the international conventions.
The fighters who lost their lives during the resistance against the Turkish forces and its factions, were buried in the Martyr Seydo Cemetery in Afrin’s Jindires town, the Martyr Refiq Cemetery in Afrin’s Shera town and the Martyr Avêsta Cemetery in Afrin city center. These three cemeteries were destroyed by the Turkish forces and Turkish-backed factions in different times. After the Martyr Avêsta Cemetery was destroyed, a marketplace was built there.
‘One day, we will return to Afrin and rebuild our children’s graves’
The mothers, who buried their children in the cemeteries in Afrin, react to the destruction of the graves. Deniz Xelat was one of the fighters buried in one of these cemeteries. Her mother Ayşe Ehmed Kedro said, “My daughter was martyred during the resistance in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in 2016. We buried her in the Martyr Seydo amidst tears and pride. When we were in Afrin, we used to visit her grave and tell her our dreams. However, we had to leave Afrin due to the atrocity of the Turkish state and its factions. They have destroyed our children’s graves. Martyrs are the most sacred values and symbols of life all around the world. One day, we will return to Afrin and rebuild our children’s graves.”
‘No one has attacked the graves until now’
Çiya Efrin lost his life while fighting ISIS in Aleppo. His mother Hediyet Şewket Eli said her child had sacrificed his life in Aleppo.
“We buried him in the Martyr Refiq Cemetery. However, the Turkish state and its factions have been destroying our children’s graves. It is a very difficult situation for us, mothers. They fought to ensure freedom in their countries; however, their graves have been destroyed. Erdoğan fights the dead. They (Turkish forces) have destroyed the cemeteries in Afrin. We have witnessed many clashes and conflicts until now but no one has attacked the graves until now. Erdoğan has been attacking the graves because he wants to destroy the existence and identity of the Kurds. We will definitely return to Afrin and rebuild our children’s graves.”