Stories of Resistance of Age-1

Ilan operation shook the enemy and saved 22 fighters

SHERVIN MUSTAFA-TOLIN HASSEN / AFRIN 

Afrin residents resisted with the fighters of the People and Women Protection Units (YPG,YPJ) a heroic resistance in the resistance called "Resistance of the Age" against the attacks of the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries on Afrin canton which began on 20 January.

The resistance witnessed heroic operations of the fighters of the People and Women Protection Units, such as the operation of Avista Khabor, Pulat, Baran Kobanî, and the operation of Ilan Dara which shocked the Turkish occupation army.

The guerrilla operation carried out by the fighter in the Anti-Terrorist Units Ilan Dara left a historic imprint in the 58-day resistance in its first stage where he rescued 22 fighters and broke the occupation attacks on Janders city.

Ilan Dara appeared before the operation in a video saying that he is doing the operation with conviction.

The fighter Ilan who was a fighter in the Anti-Terrorist Units and received intensive military trainings in the academies of Afrin canton developed his character as a fighter to be turned into a legend later on.

Ilan participated in the Resistance of the Age since the first day of the attacks of the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries. He was stationed on the fronts of Janders area with his comrades of the Anti-Terrorism Units, YPG and YPJ.

Ilan had no military experience in how to move under the bombing of the warplanes or drones, but he knew very well how to act and protect himself and his comrades, and the most important thing is that he raised the spirits of his comrades around him and stressed that it is impossible for any force to defeat them.

He always repeated the phrase of the martyr in the ranks of the Kurdistan Liberation Movement Kemal Pir, "We owe the homeland." According to his comrades, he was always convinced that everything is cheapened to the homeland.

One of his comrades who were with him and the eyewitness to his execution of the guerrilla operation is the fighter in the People Protection Units Siwar Masum who said that the martyr Ilan planted the guerrilla spirit in their hearts.

On Thursday, March 8, 2018, the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries intensified their attacks on the center of Janders. At that day, they were trying to occupy it by launching raids and shelling with heavy weapons from 3 axes until it was besieged.

Siwar said that they were resisting in Janders city and continued, "We did not allow the occupation forces to occupy the city despite our entry into a semi-siege. The shells were coming from everywhere and from all directions, as well as the drones were hovering to disrupt the movement of the fighters."

He added, "The occupation forces besieged us by the aerial bombardment. At that time, the martyr Ilan decided to carry out a guerrilla operation with 22 other fighters. There was no hope of salvation, either to be martyred or to wait for a miracle to save us."

The miracle happened..

In order to save us, Ilan decided to carry out the operation. He rode a booby-trapped vehicle to detonate it among the invading forces, but the vehicle stopped at the middle of the road. The Turkish occupation forces were targeting the vehicle to detonate it. The martyr Ilan descended the vehicle and headed towards the mercenaries and blasted the explosive shield put on his body among a group of occupation forces which led to killing dozens of the mercenaries and soldiers of the Turkish occupation.

Siwar added, “The occupation was shaken through this operation. We managed to get out of the city. Ilan saved us through his guerrilla operation."

It is noteworthy that Ilan Dara’s real name was Ahmed Welo from al-Neirbiya village in al-Shahba canton, and according to his companions, he was loved, and used to hate injustice and treachery.

A.H

ANHA