MÊRDÎN - 70-year-old woman trekked for hours through steep terrain in Kurdistan in the hope of finding a personal belonging left behind by a member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) who died more than three decades ago.

 

Fatma Aslan, traveled to a mountainous area near the district of Dêrik (Derik) in Mêrdîn (Mardin), where clashes during the 1990s left deep scars on local communities. Despite harsh conditions, she said her determination was strengthened by the desire to visit the place where the fighters had died.

 

Conflicts, torture and uprisings across the Kurdish region during the 1990s produced both profound suffering and enduring stories of resistance. Decades later, many families are still unable to recover the remains of relatives, continuing their search for closure while preserving memories of those they lost. 

 

The recent release of former PKK member Cebrail Vural, who spent more than 30 years in prison, helped families identify locations linked to past clashes. Guided by his account, relatives gathered to commemorate their loved ones at sites where they had fought.

 

STORY OF THREE FIGHTERS

 

Following a visit to the area known as Şikefta Şehîdan (Martyrs’ Cave), families also traveled to another remote site in the rural Sadan neighborhood. In the mountainous region referred to as Kêla Reş, a clash on February 12, 1994, reportedly resulted in the death of PKK member Yılmaz Aslan, also known as Sabri.

 

Two other fighters, Osman Çelik, known as Mistefa, and another identified by the codename Davut , were reportedly wounded. Claims later emerged that the injured fighters were tortured and killed, and their bodies were allegedly thrown down the mountain before being buried in a cemetery for the unidentified in Derik.

 

A DIFFICULT JOURNEY

 

Fatma Aslan, a cousin of Yılmaz Aslan, joined the memorial despite the challenging route, which required passing through narrow valleys, steep slopes, and slippery rocks. Leaning on a walking stick, she pressed forward even as others urged her to turn back, reportedly replying, “I am strong, you take care of yourselves.”

 

“We waited for the remains to be identified,” she said, explaining that the family had previously applied to authorities to retrieve the body but received no result. “We came thinking perhaps something of his had been left behind that we could take with us. We searched everywhere but found nothing, not even a piece of clothing.”

 

Describing her determination, Fatma Aslan said she rested every few steps while climbing but felt empowered by her belief. “Perhaps God gave me strength because I wanted to visit the place where the martyrs fell,” she said. “As long as we exist, we will pursue their cause and follow their path. We will never forget them.”

 

She added that the visit stirred complex emotions. Fatma Aslan concluded: “Even climbing here was extremely difficult for us. Yet they lived among these rocks and continued their struggle until the end. Their will was very strong. They chose this path themselves, and it was, in their view, the right one.”

 

MA / Ahmet Kanbal