On 27 February 2023 at 11.35am, the Turkish state carried out a drone attack on a vehicle on the road to Behrava village of Shengal (Sinjar). Two YBŞ commanders, Pîr Çeko and Agir Jefrî, were killed and one other was injured. The YBŞ fighters were on their way to pay a condolence visit to a family who lost two young people.

A statue erected in memory of YBŞ Commander Pîr Çeko in the district of Xanesor (Khanasor) was unveiled on Saturday. Pîr Çeko's real name was Tohum Ali Bedel and he joined the YBŞ from Zakho in 2016. In 2017, he took part in the liberation offensive against ISIS in Raqqa. He then came to Shengal with the combat experience he gained there. He was a main commander of the YBŞ and was known for his humility and courage.

In addition to the local people, dozens of representatives of institutions and organisations in Shengal and Arab residents attended the ceremony.

After a moment of silence, Pîr Çeko's family opened the statue by lifting the cover on the statue.

'He fought for the entire Yazidi community'

Speaking at the ceremony, Pîr Çeko's father, Ali Bedel, expressed his condolences to the entire Yazidi community and said: "Pîr Çeko fought not only for his family but for the entire Yazidi community. He fought to avenge the Yazidi women and youth abducted from Shengal to Raqqa. Unfortunately, he was martyred as a result of betrayal."

Speaking on behalf of YBŞ and YJŞ (Shengal Women’s Units) Command, Axîn İntikam said the following: "If we can live freely in the land of Shengal today, it is thanks to the struggles of our martyrs like Pîr Çeko. Our pioneers like Martyr Dijwar and Pîr Çeko served the people of Shengal for years. Pîr Çeko, as a young commander, spent his whole life in the service of his people, but was murdered as a result of a very painful betrayal." 

Commander Axîn İntikam finally stated that YBŞ-YJŞ fighters will avenge the martyrs and hold the betrayers to account.

'Our youth are fighting for the freedom of our people, not for themselves'

Xwedêda Ilyas, Co-Chair of the Shengal Administrative Board, stated: "We embarked on this path to build an autonomous Shengal. Our young people took up arms for their people to live freely. Our enemies who cannot tolerate this are targeting the pioneers of our society. I call on our people not to betray their own community. With every martyrdom, our people lose. Our youth are fighting for the freedom of our people, not for themselves."

Edul Şemo made a speech on behalf of the Yazidi Free Women's Movement (TAJÊ and said the following: "Hundreds of our young people gave their lives so that we could live in our own land. Pîr Çeko is just one of them. For this reason, our people outside must definitely return to their lands. From here, we would like to state once again that we are the owners of these lands and we will not give up our lands."