On Mount Qereçox near Dêrik, the victims of the Turkish air raid on the headquarters of the People's and Women's Defence Units (YPG) and (YPJ) three years ago have been remembered. Only a small group of representatives of the women's movement Kongreya Star and the Council of the Martyrs’ Family from the Cizîrê region could take part in the commemoration for security reasons due to the Corona pandemic. The group then visited the cemetery of martyrs in Dêrik.

A total of 20 fighters died in the attack during the night of 24-25 April 2017. 18 other fighters were injured. Mount Qereçox is located in the border triangle of Syria, Iraq and Turkey and is of strategic importance. In former times it was the meeting point of trade caravans. The first oil drilling in Syria took place here in 1956.

The region also played an important role in the early years of the Rojava revolution. The defense units of the time used the area for military training. After the foundation of the YPG, the headquarters were built on the mountain at the end of 2013. Previously, in April 2013, a group of Kurdish students had founded the radio station Rojava FM there. The radio station was later transformed into the press centre of the YPG and YPJ.

In the attack three years ago, 26 Turkish Air Force fighter jets entered Syrian airspace controlled by the international coalition against the ISIS. At the same time, air raids took place on Shengal, Kisra and villages near Amûdê. Turkish President Erdogan told Reuters at that time that the US, Russia and the government of Southern Kurdistan had been informed in advance.

At the time of the bombing, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were conducting an operation to liberate Raqqa, the so-called capital of the ISIS Caliphate. In this regard, the Turkish attack on the YPG/YPJ headquarters was seen as support for the ISIS and there were no international protests against the deadly bombardment. The silence at the time laid the foundation for the occupation of Afrin in 2018 and the occupation of Girê Spî (Tal Abyad) and Serêkaniyê (Ras al-Ain) last October. The Turkish state is currently continuing its attacks on Afrin, Shehba, Ain Issa, Til Temir and Manbij in northern Syria.

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