Kurdish journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin were covering events in Northern and Eastern Syria when they were killed in a Turkish drone strike in December 2024. Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin were both from Northern Kurdistan, but had been working for Kurdish media organisations in the autonomous region of North and East Syria for years. On 19 December, they were on their way back from a report about the fighting between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Turkish-backed SNA mercenary troops on the Tishrin front on the Euphrates when their car, marked as a ‘press vehicle’, was deliberately targeted by a Turkish drone. The two journalists were killed instantly, while their driver was injured.

The journalists were commemorated at their graves on the 40th day of their martyrdom.

Journalist Ehmed Mihemed spoke on behalf of the Free Press Union (YRA) after a moment of silence in memory of the martyrs at the commemoration, which was attended by YRA and YRJ Women's Press Union) journalists as well as many citizens.

Stating that the Nazım and Cihan were working in Rojava to expose the truth about the Turkish state, Mihemed said, “The Turkish state should know this; in spite of its targeted attacks against journalists, thousands of other journalists will continue on their path to reveal the truth.  The cameras and pens of the martyrs of the Free Press will not remain unclaimed, and we will continue to reveal the truth with the legacy we received from them.”

Speaking on behalf of theAssembly of Martyrs' Families, Hêvî Seyid stated that murdering journalists is a crime against humanity and vowed they would follow in the footsteps of the martyrs. 

Background

While the families of the two journalists made repeated attempts to retrieve their bodies and bury them in their hometowns in Northern Kurdistan, the AKP-MHP government denied permission for the repatriation of their remains.

Initially, it was announced that the bodies of the two journalists would be transferred from Qamishlo to the Nusaybin district of Mardin to be handed over to their families. When the families arrived at the Qamishlo border, they were informed that the bodies would not be given to them. The families were then told that the remains would be transferred from Rojava to Southern Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) via the Sêmalka Border Crossing.

In light of the information provided to them, a delegation, including the families of Daştan and Bilgin, took action to cross into Southern Kurdistan through the Habur Border Crossing in Silopi district of Şırnak.

When their passage was obstructed by Turkish authorities, the delegation began a sit-in in protest. Despite two days of demonstrations, the AKP-MHP government refused to allow the passage of the delegation to retrieve the bodies. Given the situation, the families decided that Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin should be laid to rest in Qamishlo.

The two journalists were laid to rest at the Şehîd Delîl Saroxan Cemetery of Martyrs in Qamishlo on 11 January.