Martyrs of free press: 30 Journalists sacrifice their lives for truth

In the struggle for freedom and democracy, Kurdish journalists have emerged as soldiers of words and images, carrying their pens and cameras in the face of oppression and injustice. In North and East Syria, 30 journalists were martyred while documenting the truth of the people’s resistance and the crimes of the occupiers, transmitting the voice of truth from the battlefields to the world.

Thirty Flames

-Mazloum Bakok (Ahmad Sa’do), born in 1992 in Qamishlo, was the first journalist martyred in North and East Syria during his coverage of the campaign to open a humanitarian corridor between Rojava and Shingal on September 28, 2014.

-Rewan Zaghros (Kadar Khalaf), a media member of the People's Protection Units (YPG), was martyred on December 21, 2014, in the village of Palestine near the town of Jaz’a in Jazera canton, while covering the YPG’s resistance in Jaz’a.

-Bahoz Houran, a field journalist from Kobani, was martyred while covering the campaign to liberate Kobani from ISIS on January 1, 2015.

-Agri Yilmaz (Mariam Mohammed), born in Raqqa in 1995, was martyred during her coverage of the Kobani liberation campaign in the village of Khan Mamid on April 13, 2015.

-Arin Judi (Ahine Faik Ibrahim), born in the village of Mashouq near Tirbespiye in 1996, was martyred by a landmine explosion in the Al-Hol area of Hasaka while working as a journalist in 2016.

-Aram Jan (Aram Mohammed Abdullah), a YPG media member, was martyred while covering the Manbij liberation campaign from ISIS on June 2, 2016.

-Mustafa Mohammed Shukri, born in the occupied town of Gire Spi in 1987 and a correspondent for Ronahi TV, was martyred while covering the Manbij liberation campaign on July 19, 2016.

-Rustem Jilo (Salah Sido), a YPG media member, was martyred by Turkish shelling in the Shahba regions on November 11, 2016.

-Eylul Nohilat (Ronahi Omar), a media member of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), was martyred in the Shahba regions while covering the liberation of villages in Shahba from mercenaries on November 20, 2016.

-Mohammed Aksoy, known by his codename Firas Dagh, born in Pistan near Marash in Bakur (North Kurdistan), grew up in London after his family fled to Europe when he was young. A YPG media member, he was martyred on September 26, 2017, by ISIS mercenaries during the Al-Jazera Storm campaign.

-Gharib Walat (Gharib Rasho), one of the founders of YPG media, was born in the village of Sinka near Shara in Afrin in 1996 and was martyred while covering the Wrath of the Euphrates campaign to liberate Raqqa on April 21, 2017.

-Rewan Kinjo (Ahmad Hassan Hamo), born in the village of Beyandor near Tirbespiye, was a YPG media member martyred by shelling in the village of Qarajog in Dêrik on April 25, 2017.

-Hakki Bakok (Hakki Jalal Hassan), born in the village of Ataba near Tirbespiye in 1988, was martyred by Turkish shelling on Mount Qarajog on April 25, 2017.

-Shilan Botan (Reem Khashman) from Dêrik was martyred by Turkish shelling on Qarajog mountains near Dêrik on April 25, 2017.

-Delishan Ebesh, a correspondent for Hawar News Agency, born on September 26, 1991, in Kobani, was martyred in a suicide attack by ISIS on the Kharafi road in Deir ez-Zor on October 12, 2017.

-Hogar Mohammed, a Hawar News Agency correspondent from Qamishlo, was martyred in the same ISIS attack on October 12, 2017.

-Rezgar Adanmesh (Rezgar Deniz), a Hawar News Agency correspondent, was martyred while covering the Deir ez-Zor campaign on December 20, 2017, due to injuries sustained in the October 12 attack.

-Tolhildan Walat (Ocalan Ahmad), a YPG media member from Afrin, was martyred in Afrin during the “Resistance of the Age” by Turkish shelling on January 23, 2018.

-Ismail Khalil, a media member for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), was martyred on January 29, 2018.

-Rohanda Afrin, a YPJ media member, was martyred in Afrin during the Resistance of the Age in 2018.

-Saad Mohammed Saeed Sheikmous Al-Ahmad, a Hawar News Agency correspondent from Tal Tamr, was martyred during his coverage of the human shield convoy heading to Serekaniye on October 13, 2019, by Turkish shelling.

-Mohammed Hussein Rasho, a journalist for Çira TV, was martyred in the same convoy attack.

-Dilovan Kafr (Dilan Olmaz) was martyred while documenting Turkish attacks on Girê Spi villages on October 13, 2019.

-Walat (Wedad Erdemci) was martyred by Turkish shelling in Serekaniye on October 10, 2019.

-Zizous Sinkaa, who worked in the media department of Free Burma Rangers, was martyred in Tal Tamr as a result of Turkish shelling in 2019.

-Issam Abdullah, a Hawar News Agency correspondent from Dêrik, was martyred by Turkish shelling in Teqel Beqil village near Dêrik on November 20, 2022.

-Najim Aladin Faisal Al-Haj Sinan, a JIN TV worker, was killed by a Turkish drone on the Qamishlo-Amuda road on August 23, 2023.

-Sayed Afran, the revolutionary journalist and writer, was martyred on September 22, 2024. He had been suffering from heart disease and had been receiving treatment in the hospital for a long time.

-Cîhan Bîlgîn, born in 1996 in the city of Midyat in the Mardin region of North Kurdistan, was martyred as a correspondent for our agency, Hawar News Agency, in a direct attack by the Turkish occupation through a drone strike on the road connecting Tishrin Dam and the city of Serrin, south of Kobani, on December 19, 2024.

-Journalist Nazim Dashtan, born in 1992 in the Jihadin district of Agri city in North Kurdistan, was martyred alongside ANHA correspondent, Cîhan Bîlgîn, in a direct attack by the Turkish occupation through a drone strike on the road connecting Tishrin Dam and the city of Sirrin, south of Kobani, on December 19, 2024.

Symbols of courage and commitment

The martyred Kurdish journalists are symbols of courage and sacrifice, having given their lives to convey the truth of what is happening on the ground. From Derik to Kobani, Afrin, and Deir ez-Zor, their cameras documented oppression and resistance, standing on the front lines to deliver their people’s messages to the world.

The importance of protecting free press

The sacrifices of these journalists underscore the importance of a free and independent press as a cornerstone for achieving justice and democracy. Journalism is not merely a profession but a humanitarian mission that demands extraordinary bravery.

By remembering them, we honor the values of freedom and equality for which they fought, and we pledge to continue carrying the torch of truth that they lit with their blood.

A-H

ANHA