The Middle East, that is lamenting for six years now with anguish trapped in the darkness of the fascism of ISIS, witnesses the defeat of the ISIS gangs day by day in the light of the Rojava Revolution led by the People's Defense Units (YPG) and Women's Defense Units (YPJ). And the sun has risen since, also for the peoples of the Middle East. Those who flood light into the darkness, which ISIS imposed on humanity in this millennium, are assiduous and confident. When they fight, they fight heroically. And when they are laid into the embracement of the earth, they go with a light heart as they know that what they have left behind and what will always live on is the purest of all lights. There are thousands of stories of martyrs like comrade Çiya Agir and comrade Sozdar Bawer, which chased away the dark clouds that hovered over Raqqa.

I MET HIM AT A MOST VIVID PLACE

I met comrade Sozdar at the Coordination Centre of the offensive unit at a checkpoint near the city centre of Raqqa during sunrise. That place was the liveliest spot of whole Raqqa, a place where you meet laughing and cheering faces where ever you look and fighters dancing in a row to loud music. The sound of weapons reloaded intermingles with the music they dance to. Here the fighters hug one another whether they know each other or not, their faces are always laughing. And here I met comrade Sozdar.

SHE HAD LONG BRAIDED HAIR

Her long hair that was tressed carefully to a braid, fell on her back like a symbol of the fighters of the YPJ. I shot dozens of photos of comrade Sozdar. I told her that I will publish some of her pictures, and today I am going to fulfil this promise. To do justice to her and to live up to the comradeship she honoured me with, I am publishing those pictures in which her long beautiful braid was hanging down her back and she herself suggested: "These photographs lend themselves to the internet well".

Whenever she approached the preparation post, all the comrades rushed gathering around her, leaping into heartfelt conversations. Before departing to the front line, Sozdar hugged every one of her dear comrades and finally left.

Comrade Sozdar gave me always a helping hand in the matter of the Women's Defense Units (YPJ). In whichever emplacement in Raqqa I kept running into her, she would grab my arm, drag me to the YPJ fighters asking me to take some pictures of them.

THE MESSAGE SOUNDING FROM THE DOCTOR’S MOBILE RADIO

It was a couple of days ago while, during another parching hot afternoon in Raqqa. I learned of the martyrdom of comrade Sozdar from the mobile radio of the doctor, long before she even reached the first emergency centre. After some minutes dozens of fighters of the YPJ assembled there. It was the first time I saw a female fighter cry.

I KNEW THEY WILL SHOW THE ISIS GANGS NO MERCY

My heart was torn apart, the fighters lay in each other’s embracement and cried silently...For a brief moment despair gripped my heart, regrets were stuck in my throat. Valiant and the most beautiful fighters in the world, who were dancing yesterday happily, were now shedding tears for the comrade and commander they lost. Yet what chased away the despair that took over my heart for a split second, was the knowledge that these fighters of the YPJ will charge the emplacements of the ISIS gangs this evening and show them no mercy. And this was also the case. The comrades of commander Sozdar exterminated that night the ISIS gangs in their positions. And in the emplacements of Raqqa martyr Sozdar was bid farewell as it was worthy of her great struggle.

And I will not let the memory of comrade Sozdar, with her gorgeous braid, her helpfulness and her heartfelt laughing face, ever fade away.

MORE THAN OTHERS DID HE WORK, FIGHT AND STAY AWAKE

It was my first day on the frontlines in Raqqa, and I visited my first emplacement. That day earned a special place in my life... The fighters ushered me from an outpost to a position from where fighters were attacking. Rushing up a never-ending staircase of a big building until its highest floor, I gasped for breath as I was taking a short break together with six to seven fighters. One of them was giving hastily instructions using a mobile radio and a map. I met there also my colleague of the YPG press.

HE KEPT GUARD IN THE EMPLACEMENTS TIRELESSLY

From the first day until his martyrdom, comrade Çiya kept on walking the emplacements up and down every single day. He was part of the war coordination and organised the offense units for every action they carried out. We always kept on bumping into each other, as he was also in charge of the press team for a couple of weeks. He took care of the press coordination on his frontline as well. He was one of those who shouldered much responsibilities on the front, working the most and sleeping the least.

ÇİYA, THE FAMOUS SNIPER

Comrade Çiya was at the same time also an active fearless fighter. Sometimes he fired on the positions of the ISIS gangs, as soon as he got hold of an arm. Comrade Çiya was known for his excellent sharpshooting skills. He also had talent in using the heavier DShK . Wherever he aimed at, he hit. He became well known for this ability.

I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DIE HERE

One day I headed to one of the very frontlines, where also the internationalist martyr Demhat (Roberd Grodt) had been positioned. Comrade Çiya, whom I recognized by his large hat, was sitting there. He said to me: "I see you have come against to the front line. Protecting your life is a great responsibility, but no matter what happens, I will not allow you to die here." We argued for a short while, but finally stood up and embraced each other. We spent together with a journalist of the ANF around one hour with them. During that time, he sang a song for us and asked me to publish the video should he fall a martyr.

Comrade Çiya, I will fulfil my promise. To contribute to his struggle, we will keep him always alive.

* This article by Erem Kansoy first appeared on Yeni Özgür Politika newspaper and was translated by ANF English service.