KOBANÊ - Apê Nemir, one of the symbols of the Kobanê resistance, pointed out that the threats on the city still continue and said, "Erdogan says 'I will enter Kobanê.' Erdoğan is weighed by Kobané. We will defeat him again. I will resist with my only hand that left."

 

After the civil war in Syria that started in 2011, ISIS members, who captured many cities, especially Raqqa, turned their direction to the Kurdish-controlled city of Kobanê on September 15, 2014. ISIS, which attacked the city from 3 sides with heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery seized from the Iraqi and Syrian armies, encountered the historical resistance of Yekineneyên Parastina Gel (YPG) and Yekineyên Parastina Jin (YPJ) fighters. Serzûrî village on the eastern front of Kobanê was one of these resistance points. Despite the YPG command's "retreat" instruction, 12 YPG-YPJ fighters put up a great resistance against ISIS members.

 

RESISTANCE SPREADED TO THE CENTER

 

The resistance with individual weapons owned by the villagers in the villages spreaded to the city center in a short time. The resistance, which grew from house to house, street by street and neighborhood by neighborhood under the leadership of YPG-YPJ fighters, also affected the Kurdish geography as a whole. The people, who flocked to the zero point of the border in the cities of the region, kept watch on the border of Kobanê day and night. While the places where the people kept watch along the border line turned into a separate resistance area, the common attitude of people from different circles and opinions against the attacks marked the beginning of a milestone for the Kurdish national unity.

 

THE STRONGHOLD OF THE RESISTANCE

 

The Kobanê resistance had a great impact not only in the Kurdish geography, but also all over the world. Revolutionaries who came to Kobanê from all over the world took their place on the war fronts. The participation of international fighters in the war against ISIS from Europe to Asia added a different dimension to the resistance. This situation brought the peoples of the world to turn their faces towards Kobanê. While the resistance, in which everyone from 7 to 70 took their place, ended in victory, this was also the beginning of the end for ISIS, which committed great crimes against humanity. The Kobanê resistance, on the other hand, was remembered as the stronghold of the resistance.

 

APÊ NEMİR

 

73-year-old Apê Nemir (Xelil Osman), who fought shoulder to shoulder with YPG-YPJ fighters against ISIS, became one of the symbols of this resistance. Despite his advanced age, Apê Nemir was injured in his left hand during the battle he fought in the rural fronts. At the same time, his sons and relatives resisted on different fronts and Apê Nemir later took part in the construction of the city. Apê Nemir, who told the Mezopotamya Agency (MA) about the 7 years of resistance, said that most of the people he fought shoulder to shoulder lost their lives in the defense of the revolution.

 

SAMA STANCE, SAME DETERMINATION

 

Noting that the victory of the resistance in Kobanê is a great achievement for the Kurds, Apê Nemir emphasized that this spirit should be maintained. Apê Nemir, who wants this spirit to be instrumental in the liberation of cities such as Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî in North-East Syria, which are under the control of paramilitary groups affiliated with Turkey, reminded that a great price was paid during the resistance. Apê Nemir said that he experiences a similar excitement every time he talks about his memories with those in the ranks and said, "We always go back to those days when we fought together and saw the injured. We were always saying 'Em dev ji Kobanê bernadin (We will not leave Kobanê)'. We continue to say it with the same stance and the same determination."

 

'I WILL FIGHT AGAIN WITH MY ONLY REMAINING HAND'

 

Apê Nemir pointed to Turkey's attacks and stated that Kobanê is still in danger. Emphasizing that disinformation made through social media accounts should not be believed, Apê Nemir said: "Erdogan has been saying 'I will enter Kobanê' for 10 years. Erdoğan is weighed by Kobané. We will succeed again. We must be one. Four parts of Kurdistan must unite. Then no one can succeed against the Kurds. Kobanê greets all of Kurdistan."

 

MA / Nazım Daştan