Born in Aleppo in 1997, the martyr Aljîn Gîvara was identified by her family with the goddess Zenobia, whose name carries great meaning and symbolism. Zenobia, a goddess of ancient Mesopotamian origin, is particularly associated with war, courage, fertility and the power of women. Having been born in Aleppo, a city with a deep historical and cultural background, Aljîn’s existence reflected this mythological figure. The symbolism of Zenobia, which lies behind Aljîn Gîvara’s name, had a profound impact on her life and personality traits. Zenobia is known both as a brave warrior and as a representative of female values. Aljîn’s personality was characterised by courage, independence and a fighting spirit. Women’s empowerment and the struggle for equality were decisive factors in Aljîn’s life and struggle.
The outbreak of the Syrian crisis in 2011 symbolised the beginning of a period of change and struggle for many communities. In this period, the active role of youth and women formed an important part of social resistance and the struggle for freedom. Martyr Aljîn Gîvara took an active part in Yekitiya Xwendekarên Kurdistan (YXK). With the courage and determination of a young woman, she did not remain insensitive to the developments at that time.
In 2012-2013, Aljîn Gîvara was at the forefront of the resistance in the Şêxmeqsûd and Eşrefiye neighbourhoods of Aleppo. These neighbourhoods were places where clashes were intense and resistance movements became central. Aljîn stood out for her brave stance in these struggles. She both supported the resistance of the people and took part in activities that strengthened social solidarity.
In 2014, Aljîn returned to Afrin and took on new tasks in an environment where gender equality and women’s struggle for freedom were more prominent. Afrin had become a symbol of resistance and Aljîn took steps to improve herself in this field by taking sabotage training. Her training turned her into a saboteur capable of achieving strong results in the practical field. Her actions were not only militarily but also strategically important and became part of the creative tactics that formed the essence of the resistance.
Emine Reşit Yusuf (57), mother of martyr Aljîn, spoke to ANF about her daughter Aljîn Gîvara (Zenobia Ehmed Xilo) who was martyred on 1 September 2016.
Emine Reşit Yusuf describes Aljîn Gîvara’s childhood as follows: “Aljîn was active but not a tiring child. She had a brother one year older than Aljîn. They joined the YPJ about a year apart. They were like twins. They were inseparable, their bond was very strong. Aljîn was a person sensitive to her environment. As much as she was sensitive to her surroundings, she also tried to raise herself in a sensitive way to be a good person. She was caring. She loved herself and her environment as much as she loved herself. She loved to live a full life. She would not prefer to spend a moment idle. She loved adventure. She liked to ask questions and learn new things. She had a relentless personality. She was devoted to her family. She had a respectful personality. She loved me and her father very much. She was social at an early age. She was well liked in the neighbourhood and got on well with her friends. Aljîn’s body was small, but her heart was big. Her curiosity and questions were different from those of her peers. If someone fell ill, she would run to help. She was such a compassionate person.”
Mother Emine expresses her daughter’s school years with the following words: “She was a successful student. She was loved and respected by her teachers. If she did not go to school one day, either a friend or a teacher would come and ask her. She was at the top of her class until high school. She did not attend private courses apart from the education given outside school. She acted in line with the possibilities. Despite this, she always came first. Her teachers used to say that Zenobiya would have a good future. And so, she did. She travelled on the right path and fell a martyr for the sake of freedom. She used to sing songs written for the leader, she used to sing songs about the comrades. When the comrades came to our house, they would say, ‘Aljîn, you have established Kurdistan at home’. She was very attached to the Leader at a young age. Songs were always on her tongue, those songs became a source of life.”
Mother Emine explains that Aljîn decided to join the Kurdish Freedom Struggle after attending a one-month self-defence training in 2011: “She told me and her father that she wanted to go to the training. It was the first time she had stayed so far away from home, but I knew she was in safe hands, I was at ease, but I was also haunted by my heart. She returned home after a month of training. She was very impressed by both the training and the environment. She was always talking about her friends there. After a while she said she wanted to join the Kurdish Freedom Struggle. Her father and I said, ‘Godspeed’. We saw my Aljîn off with our hands.”
Mother Emine says that they met for the first time on 8 March 2011, after Aljîn’s participation in the Kurdish Freedom Struggle, and continues as follows: “I was excited and cried when I saw her. She pulled me to the corner laughing and wiped my tears, saying, ‘don’t cry’. I saw my daughter off myself, but our first meeting was in an emotional atmosphere. Our last meeting was a week before her martyrdom. She could not come to the village. She had gone to a relative’s house in the centre of Afrin. She spoke to me and her father on the phone, and we went to her. She was very happy that day. Her face was full of smiles. We took photos in every corner as if we felt that the time of separation was getting closer.”
Saying that she felt great distress in her heart on the day Aljîn was martyred, Mother Emine describes that day as follows: “It was Friday. We were sitting in our house. I said to my son, “Get up, let’s go olive picking.” We went out to the field. While we were picking olives, I was crying all the time, talking to myself as if I was talking to Aljîn. I was preparing those olives for Aljîn. We picked our olives and returned home. I was going to wash the dishes, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I had a bad feeling. I went out to the door. I sat with the neighbours for a while, but the trouble didn’t go away. I returned home, and still that vague distress was in my heart. There was a knock on the door and a group of people had gathered. I was now convinced. Someone had been martyred, but I didn’t know which daughter. They said Aljîn had been martyred.”