The Afrin Liberation Forces (HRE) reported that they carried out a number of actions against the invading Turkish state forces and allied gangs in Sherawa district of Afrin-Shehba Canton, Bab and Azaz regions.
According to the statement, 9 gang members were killed and 8 others were wounded in the actions carried out on 29-31 July.
The statement included the following details regarding the actions directed against occupation forces:
“On 29 July, one of our military units entered the enemy front in the Bab region. Effective strikes here left the enemy’s front and positions completely destroyed. 5 gang members were killed and 6 others were wounded.
On 30 July, 2 assassination attacks were carried out in the Azaz region and 2 gang members were killed.
On 31 July, our forces targeted gang groups gathered in the Shêrewa region between the villages of Gundê Kafr Nebo and Birj Heyder. 2 gang members were killed and 2 others were wounded.”
In other news, the Press Center of the People’s Defense Forces (HPG) announced the deaths of guerrillas Benda Amed, Destîna Botan and Baran Xemlîn. The guerrillas were killed in an attack by the Turkish army in the Kato Xelîla area of Botan on 25 July. The HPG expressed its condolences to their families and the Kurdish people and stated that the struggle of the fallen continues. The HPG provided the following information on the identity of the guerrillas:
Code name: Benda Amed
First and last name: Semra Ayverdi
Place of birth: Amed
Names of mother and father: Faike – Kasım
Date and place of death: July 25, 2024 / Botan
Code name: Destîna Botan
First and last name: Bişeng Durmuş
Place of birth: Şirnex
Names of mother and father: Suzan – Nezir
Date and place of death: July 25, 2024 / Botan
Code name: Baran Xemlîn
First and last name: Seyîtxan Sencer
Place of birth: Wan
Names of mother and father: Cewher – Mehmet Şerif
Date and place of death: July 25, 2024 / Botan
Benda Amed
Benda Amed was an experienced commander of the YJA Star (Free Women’s Units). She was born in Amed-Pasûr and grew up in an environment close to the PKK. Her family was expelled from their home village because they rejected the village guard system. The house in which she had lived was set on fire in front of her eyes.
The family later moved to Bismil. Benda studied mathematics at Dicle University and became active in the Kurdish youth movement. In 2013, she joined the guerrillas and, after basic training for new guerrillas, stayed in various places in the Medya Defense Areas. She gained experience and trained fighters herself. When she returned to North Kurdistan of her own free will, she took on responsibility as area commander in Botan. “Our comrade Benda represented the great courage of free Kurdish women in the mountains of Botan and held on to her principles of freedom until her last breath,” said the HPG.
Destîna Botan
Destîna Botan was born in Cizre. Her parents gave her the name Bişeng, in memory of Bişeng Anık, who was arrested and murdered in Şirnak on Newroz in 1992. Destîna grew up in a politicized environment and resisted state-imposed assimilation by persistently continuing to speak Kurdish. She rejected the classical role of women, questioned the patriarchal mentality and took inspiration from women who fought for freedom in the guerrillas.
In 2015, she went to the mountains and joined them. She gained her first experience of guerrilla life in Botan. After that, she was in the Medya Defense Areas and continued her ideological and military training. As an experienced YJA Star militant, she eventually returned to Botan to continue the fight for a free life in her home region.
Baran Xemlîn
Baran Xemlîn was born in Van and grew up in an environment close to the Kurdish freedom movement. He went to school for nine years and took part in youth movement activities, but that was not enough for him. Even as a child he dreamed of joining the guerrilla movement and wanted to become a freedom fighter.
In his youth he became aware of the methods the Turkish state uses to influence young Kurds in order to distance them from their identity and prevent them from fighting. He tried to defend himself against this in an organized way. Under the impression of the increasing attacks everywhere in Kurdistan, he went to the mountains and joined a guerrilla group in Botan, where he fought as an apoist militant until the end.