Aleppo’s five heroes 

Syria witnessed a decisive turning point starting from November 27, 2024, when mercenary groups affiliated with the Turkish occupation launched an attack on the historic city of Aleppo. The Ba'ath regime showed little to no resistance, leaving the city to fall into enemy hands. Amid the general confusion and lack of clarity surrounding the events, the resistance fighters emerged to confront these groups and halt their advance.

The mercenaries' brutal clash with the fighters' resistance

During this crisis, fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the People's Protection Units (YPG), and the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) took their positions and fought the mercenaries who entered the city with the intent to loot and destroy. The mercenaries sought to quickly seize control of Aleppo and spread fear in the community through their inhumane acts. Had they succeeded in capturing Aleppo, they would have opened the door to occupying all of Syria and launching attacks on other cities with ease. However, when they reached the Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, expecting an easy victory, they were met with fierce resistance from the fighters. The mercenaries knew the strength of the fighters in these areas from the legendary resistance in Kobani, which forced them to retreat from these neighborhoods.

Among those who sacrificed their lives to protect their people were five fighters positioned on the front lines in the Al-Sakhour neighborhood, where they confronted the mercenaries’ looting attempts. These five fighters fought with courage and selflessness for the cause of their people, attaining the honor of martyrdom and immortality.

Among the five martyrs was Sharvan Tabqa, who headed to the frontlines in Aleppo as part of the Martyr Jav Rash Brigade, and Baran Amuda from the Commando Units in Hasaka. Diyar Afrin, like many other young men from his occupied city of Afrin, took his place in the neighborhood defense units in Aleppo to prevent the occupation of other areas.

Among these loyal fighters who made their bodies shields to protect Aleppo’s neighborhoods and prevent the oppressors from imposing their darkness on the entire city was the young woman Berfin Cem, who dedicated her youth to defending her homeland.

The story of Berfin Cem

Arjin Muhammad Ali, known by her nom de guerre Berfin Cem, was born in the city of Kobani, the fortress of resistance. She was raised in a patriotic family with strong Kurdish cultural values along the banks of the Euphrates River. From a young age, she witnessed war and resistance in her city, which became a global symbol of defiance. The reality she saw with her own eyes shaped her future and defined her dreams.

With a dream of becoming a brave fighter who would avenge the stolen dreams of children who could not play in their city’s streets because of the sound of gunfire, Berfin joined the Women's Protection Units (YPJ). She quickly trained in the art of war and women's mobilization, becoming a skilled fighter and a leader in the defense of her country.

Berfin was known among her comrades for her humility, cheerful spirit, and determination to face any challenge. She lifted the morale of her fellow fighters even in the most difficult moments, earning the love and respect of all her comrades. In her final moments, when she fired her weapon at the mercenaries from the balcony of a building in Bustan Pasha neighborhood, she took down seven mercenaries at once.

At that time, Berfin and four of her comrades were stationed in a building with open balconies. Three were positioned on the ground floor, while she and another comrade were on the second floor, fighting from the balcony. As the battle intensified and the mercenaries drew closer to the building, Berfin bolstered her comrades' morale with her immense courage.

The neighborhood’s residents watched the fighters' selfless struggle from their windows, drawing strength from Berfin's bravery. They marveled at how a single young woman could fight with the strength of an army and strike fear into the hearts of the mercenaries. With this courage and unwavering faith in victory, she left a lasting mark on the hearts of the neighborhood’s people and her comrades. She sacrificed herself without hesitation for her homeland and the dream of a free life, forever engraving her name in the history of her people with letters of gold.

Sharvan, Diyar, and Baran took their positions together as a team and courageously defended the neighborhood. To prevent the mercenaries from reaching the Kurdish neighborhoods, they stationed themselves in a building in the Al-Sakhour neighborhood and repelled the mercenaries' attacks. According to local residents, the three attacked the mercenaries with great courage, leaving 35 of them dead on the ground. Their bravery struck fear into the mercenaries’ hearts and stopped their advance. They fought with unwavering confidence, as though they were an entire army rather than just three fighters. Eventually, the mercenaries surrounded them, and as the siege tightened and their ammunition ran out, the three united in heart and spirit, detonating their last grenade together and joining the ranks of the martyrs who defended their homeland.

Ibrahim Sheikh, whose nom de guerre was Qershin Luay, also joined the Aleppo resistance units from the Commando Units in Tabqa during the same period. He used his body as a shield against the mercenaries' attacks and fought heroically until his last breath.

Ibrahim was born in Tabqa and grew up by the Euphrates River, where he acquired the strength and resilience of the river. Even after joining the Commando Units, he remained in Tabqa to defend his city, one of the most beautiful cities in Syria. He was not alone in this mission, his three brothers were also fighting to defend the homeland within the ranks of the Syrian Democratic Forces. To defend Aleppo, Ibrahim left the frontlines of his hometown, Tabqa, and headed to the frontlines of Aleppo, where he fought fiercely against the mercenaries in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood. After his ammunition ran out, he fired his last bullet at himself, refusing to be captured by the mercenaries, and was martyred in this heroic manner.

These five comrades fought against the mercenaries with bravery and were martyred as heroes of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo. The residents of these neighborhoods witnessed firsthand the courage of these fighters, who sacrificed their lives to protect the community and fought to their last breath. In the end, they attained the honor of martyrdom and eternal glory.

A-H

ANHA