The invading Turkish army’s fighter jets bombed Shengal Mountain on April 25. The Leader Apo Garden in the Kersê Valle was also hit in the bombing. There were flags and photographs of Shengal martyrs hanged up in the garden.

It was also one of the locations where the resistance started on the first day of the Kersê Valley firman.

The Êzidîs in Shengal went to the Leader Apo Garden and cleaned it up.

Speaking to ANF, a citizen named Hisên Şêx Nayîf said they came today to clean up the garden and added: “The fighter jets bombed the Leader Apo Garden, Qahê and Çira Radio. In Qahê, one civilian lost his life. And after this vile attack by the Turkish state, we thought we would clean and set up our garden once more. Because there are photographs of our martyred friends in this Leader Apo Garden. The damage is not too much, there are some spots that were torn down, we are building them up again. Even if they attack a hundred times, we will rebuild better. These attacks are not right. This aerial attack is a shame for Erdoğan and his allies. We condemn these attacks.”

Nayîf concluded with a call to the international powers and the people so the Turkish army doesn’t attack again and the attacks are prevented.

"THIS IS THE MARTYRS GARDEN"

Êzidî Sivyan Newaf said he came to the garden to join the efforts today and added: “As they tear down, we will build up. This garden is called the Leader Apo Garden. He is our leader. This is the garden of martyrs, they are our honor. The photographs hanged here are our friends who were martyred for the sacred Shengal soil. It is a source of pride for us. However they come onto us, military or otherwise, we will resist the attacks and defend our sacred lands. There has been a great resistance since August 3, 2014. Since the Firman, they have been attacking us. We have always responded to these attacks, and we will continue that. KDP’s, ISIS gangs’ and Turkish MİT’s attacks on March 3, 2017 will not be left unanswered. As long as we are alive, we will respond to attacks.

On the Turkish army’s attack on her sacred land, an Êzidî woman Edûl Xwedê said: “I as an Êzidî mother came to this garden to clean up with my family. Although we are not guilty of anything, they attacked us with jets. What do they want from us? We know who is doing these attacks and where the blade waved over us will fall. This is Leader Apo’s garden and there are photographs of martyrs here. We don’t accept these attacks. A young man named Sivyan was killed in these attacks. And his mother is still in the hands of ISIS gangs. Today there are thousands of Sivyan’s and we are all Sivyan’s mother. We will never let go of our martyrs’ cause. We came to clean the garden so the invading forces would not think that they tore it down and we can’t rebuild.”

"THOSE WHO TELL PKK TO LEAVE SACRIFICED HUNDREDS OF ÊZIDÎS"

Xwedê said: “Let them not forget that we will rebuild the Leader Apo Garden even more beautiful than before and we will carry on our martyrs’ cause until the last drop of our blood. On March 3, Turkish soldiers and KDP gangs came to Khanasor and Sinûnê and gruesomely martyred Çiya, Nazê, Nûjiyan and several others. Our children’s bodies are still on the streets in some villages, animals are eating their bodies. Those who told PKK to leave Shengal have sacrificed hundreds of children, teenagers, women and mothers to ISIS gangs.”

Mother Xwedê concluded by saying: “PKK liberated Shengal with their blood. The peshmergas got in their cars and ran but 12 PKK guerrillas prevented a great massacre. Today those deserters say Shengal is theirs, we don’t accept that. Shengal belongs to the Êzidî people and nobody believes in KDP’s games. All who call themselves Êzidîs should support Shengal today.”