On martyrdom’s anniversary... How did Abu Laila become a symbol of revolutionary struggle?

His first goal was to liberate his city from terrorism, sacrificed himself for the sake of the fraternity of peoples and co-existence. He fought, struggled, and became one of the most famous symbols of the Rojava revolution. He participated in many battles against IS mercenaries to spread security and peace for the children in northern Syria not only for his own.

On June 5, the second anniversary of the martyrdom of the leader of the Manbij Military Council and the commander of the Shams Shamal Battalion, Faisal Abu Laila, who led the start of the campaign to liberate the city of Manbej, was announced.

The leader who left his mark at the pivotal stages of the Rojava and northern Syria revolution, had hopes he wanted to achieve with his struggle, but before talking about them, we will review together the highlights of his life.

A glimpse of the life of the martyred leader

Faisal Sa'doun or Abu Laila, who was born in 1984 in the city of Kobani, joined the revolution from the beginning of its inception against the Baathist regime. He was one of the founders and commanders of the Kurdish Front Brigade in Manbij and its commander. As the military struggle against the Baathist regime extended, Abu Laila became the military commander of the Kurdish Front Brigade in the eastern province.

He fought against the Baathist regime in Aleppo (the neighborhoods of Ashrafiyah, Sheikh Maksoud, Old Aleppo), the Lattakia Front, Ain Issa Front, and with the presence of mercenaries in the region, Faisal Abu Leila went to fight with other factions in the city of Manbij.

Abu Laila was always aiming to eliminate IS mercenaries who had been in control of his city Manbij for years in which it practiced the most severe torture against its children. Therefore, he fought the mercenaries in several areas such as Manbij, al-Bab, Karkuzak Bridge, Ain Issa and Tel Abyad.

Abu Laila as commander of the Shams Shamal Battalion in the eastern front of the city participated in the historical resistance in Kobani, and was one of the symbols of the Battle of Murshid Pinar (the border crossing in Kobani), on the 29th of November 2014 and he showed unique valor in the fighting, Abu Laila was hit 7 times and transferred to hospitals of Bakur Kurdistan, making recovery, he returned and continued the resistance again.

After the resistance of Kobani, Abu Laila took part in the liberation campaigns of the Sareen area, the town of Tal Abyad, the Al-Holl and Al-Shadadi, the Ain Issa area, and the liberation campaign of the Tishreen Dam. His final stop was during the battles to liberate his city from IS mercenaries; as a member of the Military council of Manbij and commander of Shams Shamal Battalions where he fought at the frontlines till he rose to the rank of martyrdom on the threshold of his city.

The wishes of the leader are realized

Abu Laila sought through the struggle and resistance he has demonstrated since the outbreak of the "Syrian Revolution" to achieve a set of goals and aspirations that all focused on serving the people in his homeland.

Farhad Sa’doom, Abu Laila’s brother pointed out "The dream of Abu Laila is now being realized. He dreamed of liberating his city from mercenaries, calling for security and peace, fraternity of the peoples and co-existence among all the components of northern Syria. The mercenaries are finally eliminated."

"It is our duty to defend, work and fight for your future and the future of children like you, so that you will not grow up and say, as we say, that our fathers and forefathers did nothing," all Abu Laila’s hopes were summarized in this letter he sent to his daughter Laila while fighting in the battle of Kobani to his daughter Laila. For us, I am fighting for you and for your likes, all we suffer and all that we risk is for your future and the future of all children like you, to live in this country free and safe, and the revolution is for you and for the homeland Syria, how much I miss you, my love Laila you will be proud of your father if he is alive or a martyr, my kiss to you .. Your father Abu Laila from Kobani. "

After the liberation of his city from mercenaries by the fighters of the Manbij Military Council, the comrades of Abu Laila wanted to achieve some wishes that he has always sought to achieve, he dreamed of liberating all areas of northern Syria from mercenaries urging and building a bright future for children Manbij. This is what has been achieved, this year alone, 317 schools attended 96,877 students in the city of Manbij.

Hundreds of his compatriots joined the ranks of the military forces, whether the forces of the Manbij Military Council or the duty of self-defense without hesitation to defend their city and revenge for their leader Abu Laila and all those who suffered injustice under the control of mercenaries.

Sharvan Darwish a comrade of his struggle and him, and the spokesperson of the Manbij Military Council recalled his memories with Abu Laila saying "Two years have passed since our separation, we spent beautiful moments in the alleys and streets of Kobani, which was full of the companionship spirit and the hopes of victory," he said. "My father was always there," he said. He hoped that Kobani resistance would be a start point to liberate the city of Manbij from mercenaries and the rest of the regions of Rojava and the northern regions of Syria. From this point and hope, Abu Laila fought and struggled day and night and achieved great victories on this path.”

Sharafan said, "Abu Laila had a spirit of courage, a strong will and a high morale that gained the heart of every person who lived and participated with him in a front and fought alongside him. His wishes were to achieve a free democratic Syria and a bright future for the children. Moreover; he sought to spread humanity, truth and honesty. These were his words when he was talking with his daughters and his companions in the fronts of Kobani fighting Daesh mercenaries.

He did not recognize defeat

"Abu Leila, with his smile, managed to draw the smile on the lips of the thousands of Syrians who suffered the woes of the past years. When he was trapped somewhere, or there was a danger to his life, he raised the morale of his fighters with a smile and high self-confidence and morale, did not know the meaning of loss and defeat was the goal of his victory, and always sought to achieve victory at any cost, the victory to Abu Laila was something inevitable and must be achieved, he had a joyful smile. "

He went on the road to realizing the dream

On the day of the Manbij Military Council's announcement of the start of the liberation campaign of Manbij on June 1, 2016, it was a historic day for Abu Laila, the smile and the signs of joy were not leaving his face. He was preparing to fight the battles with high morale and confidence in victory but he martyred at the thresholds of his city before reaching it.

After the martyrdom of the leader Faisal Abu Laila, and in retaliation and commemoration of his sacrifices and struggle called the campaign to liberate the city of Manbij as "the campaign of martyr leader Faisal Abu Leila."

Sharvan Darwish asserts that they, as comrades of the commander Faisal Abu Leila, will work day and night to achieve his goals in building a democratic Syria and protecting the city of Manbij from any external aggression fulfilling the aspirations Abu Laila martyred for.

"Now I will know the meaning of Abu Laila’s words ‘my struggle is for you and for all the peoples of the region’” said Abu-Leila's wife, Dijla Ahmed, two years after her husband's death.

There is still much to be done in the context of the revolution led by the children of the Syrian north, in honor of the martyrs like commander Abu Laila who left behind a legacy of struggle. The fighters who follow their march today should undertake their duty to protect the revolution and the homeland, and everything the martyrs did stay like bright stars in the history of this revolution.

J.O

ANHA