In a written statement, the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) announced that fighter Destan Rojhat (Derya Heci) fell a martyr on 8 January 2025, during the resistance around the Tishrin Dam. She was killed in an airstrike by the Turkish army.

The statement read: "Our martyrs will continue to illuminate our path. With this light, we will surely achieve women’s freedom. We will not stop until we reach freedom."

The statement continued: "The occupying Turkish state and its affiliated mercenaries intensified their attacks on Syria and Rojava Kurdistan with a new concept starting on 27 November 2024. The aim of the Turkish state's mercenaries was not only to occupy Shehba, Til Rifaat, and Manbij, but to establish hegemony over all national borders. The Tishrin Dam has witnessed the heroism of many. Today, fighters and local people are joining hands and showcasing the model of Revolutionary People's War to the entire world. From 7 to 70, the people of this land have become an unbreakable barrier with their bodies."

The statement underlined that "YPJ fighter Derya Heci, with the nom de guerre Destan Rojhat, was fighting on the front lines of the Tishrin Dam in Kobanê against the Turkish state’s mercenaries when she was martyred in an airstrike on January 8, 2025. First and foremost, we offer our condolences to the patriotic family of martyr Destan Rojhat, to all our people, and to our comrades. We respectfully commemorate all the martyrs of the Tishrin Dam and Qereqozaq. We promise never to abandon their dreams, and to reach a free Leadership, and a free country where all peoples and religions can live together.

YPJ fighter Destan Rojhat was born in 2004 in Kobanê. Raised in a patriotic family with many martyrs, Destan grew up surrounded by heroism. The Qamishlo uprising and the Kobanê resistance had a major influence on the shaping of her character. She realized the power of women in a struggle that could achieve success."

The statement continued: "Destan joined the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) in 2021. Her participation in the battles of Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî had a profound impact on her. After joining the ranks of freedom, she developed her personality and the society she grew up in. As a woman, she came to understand herself more deeply through the reality of Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]. She believed that one must possess a meaningful memory in order to implement Leader Apo’s ideas on women. She began to better understand the sociology of the society in which she was raised.

Destan was always a source of morale to her comrades with her approach to life. She played a unique role in every area of life. Among her friends, she was known for her humility and honesty. After receiving military and ideological training, she embodied the image of a fighting woman. In both her life and her struggle, she gained 12 years of YPJ experience. She is one of the finest examples of the Tishrîn Dam resistance. Our fighter stood out not only in life but also in her struggle through her courage and determination. She always acted with the awareness that protecting the Tishrîn Dam means protecting North and East Syria. Destan Rojhat carried the flag of Arin Mirkan to the highest peaks. She became the modern-day Arin of her country."

The statement once again thanked the martyrs, sayin: "Today we celebrate the 12th anniversary of the founding of the YPJ. As the YPJ, we will always uphold the legacy our martyrs have left us. Our martyrs will continue to illuminate our path. With this light, we will surely achieve women’s freedom. We will not stop until we reach freedom."