Minbic – Legacy of a battle with heavy sacrifices (Part II)

While all eyes are on Damascus and the calls for political solutions and dialog are multiplying, Turkey continues to wage war in Syria. The SDF is currently facing fierce attacks by the Turkish proxy Islamists of the SNA in Minbic. But why is Minbic in this kind of battle? We want to take a look back to when the SDF liberated Minbic from IS (PART I) and draw attention to the role of the internationalists in this battle for a diverse, self-determined and free society (PART II).

Who were the internationalist friends that took part in this difficult operation, that required so much hope and faith in a better future for this place?

 

 

 

Agir Şervan – Levi Johnathan Shirley

Date and Place of Birth: 23 August 1991 – Nevada, USA

Date and Place of Martyrdom: 14 July 2016 – Minbic

 

 

“Everybody can fight, but not everybody can stay at the place of war.” -Şehîd Ş. Agir Şervan

Born in Nevada, and raised in Colorado, USA, Şehîd Agir first came to Rojava in February 2015. At that time, he fought on the front lines in the Şehîd Rubar Qamişlo operation. After just a few weeks in the country, he found himself in the midst of heavy fighting on the Til Temer front, with one comrade remembering “His unit had come under a brutal and sustained night attack by ISIS fighters. Agir and his comrades had the higher ground so after a long night 12 Isis lay dead and only one Kurdish fighter was slightly wounded. It was a brutal introduction to the International Volunteers in Syria but it was exactly what Agir wanted. He came to fight and participate in the destruction of one of the most vicious ideologies of hate this world has ever seen.” “He’s not usually what you would first think of as a fighter,” his mother Susan Shirley said. “He’s not someone who would strike out an offensive on someone. But he also has a strong sense of justice and sticking up for the underdog, and the Kurds are about as underdog as you can get right now.”

After participating in the liberation of Mount Kezwane, Heval Agir returned to the USA. Not content to leave the responsibility of defeating Daesh to others, in January of 2016 he returned to Rojava. He took up the fight once again in Cizre and Kobanê cantons before joining the defence of the Martyr Abu Layla refugee camp during the liberation of Minbic. “Long before he got involved, there were other families all over the Middle East and Europe who were going through this, you know, losing their sons and daughters and people that they loved,” said Levi’s sister Kate. “And my brother didn’t want anybody else to have to go through that.”

“I saw a video of them lining up kids and doing stuff I’d never seen terrorist organizations do on that kind of scale,” Shirley said in a video made by a documentary filmmaker in early 2016. “It made me angry and it shocked me and it made me feel every possible emotion that you could possibly think of when you think of a disgusting act being committed like that. And so then I thought to myself, There’s got to be something I can do to stop that.” Heval Agir was a true internationalist who was deeply proud of his American roots. He had a deep desire to fight for humanity, to help the people of the Middle East to liberate themselves from the clutches of ISIS, calling them the “single greatest threat of man-kind since Nazi Germany.” “They’re my definition of pure evil,” Levi said in a video. “I don’t think good people in a society can stick other people inside of a cage and set them on fire, so — yeah, I came here to stop that.” Heval Agir is remembered not only for his strength as a warrior but for his ability to brighten every situation with jokes and one-liners from some of his favorite movies. “When he showed his comedian-talents everybody was on the ground laughing. Whenever Heval Agir saw me stressed, he started to imitate Arnold Schwarzenegger’s German-English and my troubles, the stress and difficulties of the frontline disappeared,” said Baz Andok, a Heval he had fought alongside of.

While holding a position in a restaurant near Kobanê, Heval Agir would tell his comrades his dreams of turning it into an American restaurant where he would serve his famous Mac-and-cheese while surrounded by murals of martyrs, YPG flags, and an American eagle he planned to paint along the walls. He was a talented artist and had dreams of sharing his vision and art with all around him.

“He joined the heroes that history needs, the long line of people who push up the human condition to something better. That’s what I remember when I think of my friend. I think about his family, and all the things he would have done if he was still there. He’s a hero, and I hope that people in their daily life, when they walk on the street, have fun or just relax in their room, remember that the price of peace is the blood of people who said no.” – Heval Gabbar Tolhildan on Şehîd Agir. He was at the forefront of some of the heaviest fighting in the War Against Daesh, in Shadadeh, Ain-Issa, and then in Minbic. On 14 July 2016 Şehîd Agir was martyred during the operation to liberate Minbic. He and another comrade began searching a building which had been cleared from Daesh fighters. After stepping through the door, he triggered an IED which killed him instantly and seriously wounded the other heval. In a statement the YPG said he was “known for his discipline and sense of responsibility.”

“His style and personality were a source of strength, motivation, and morale for his friends. In the fight, Heval Agir was known and respected as a brave and altruistic person. We can say that Martyr Agir strenghtened our brotherhood and fought for the freedom of an oppressed people. The sacrifice of our comrade Agir has enriched the democratic revolution being fought in Rojava. His name has been written in the history of our brotherhood.”

His body was repatriated to his home in Colorado, alongside fellow Coloradan fighter Ciwan Firat ( Jordan McTaggart), who also fell Şehîd in the Minbic campaign. Friends and family celebrated his life and memory in an emotional service in the Church of Christ the King, Denver.

 

 

Gîvara Rojava – Dean Carl Evans

Date and Place of Birth: 7 October 1993 – Reading, UK

Date and Place of Martyrdom: 21 July 2016 – Minbic

 

 

Heval Gîvara had a revolutionary, warrior spirit, he fought without hesitation and sacrificed his life to protect the people of this region. Since he was a boy he had the ambition to be a soldier. As a youth he joined the British Army cadets but was unable to continue his military career due to asthma. At home he worked to support his family as a dairy farmer.

Şehîd Gîvara first came to Rojava in March of 2015. Like many across the world, he was outraged by the criminal actions of Daesh, but Heval Gîvara was not prepared to sit by and watch the slaughter unfold. Shortly after his arrival he explained: “It was the fact that I knew people were coming here to help. It didn’t fit right with me that I was at home living my comfortable life when I could be here.”

After a short period of training he went straight to the front and into the midst of fierce fighting. In the words of YPG command, he showed “revolutionary and combative spirit on the front lines and always fought without hesitation to protect the people of this region.” After the liberation of Til Temir he returned home to Britain to be with his family. He was not able to stay for long, and soon found himself longing to return to fight alongside his comrades again. In January of 2016 Heval Gîvara Rojava returned once again to the struggle he so deeply believed in. His return to Rojava exemplified who he was and his passion to liberate the world from all forms of oppression.

Şehîd Gîvara’s step-father Dean spoke highly and with great respect of the young man he had raised with his mother Jo, who passed away in 2011. “Our son is a martyr. We are proud of what he did. He was always prepared to stand for what he believed in. He was not a glory hunter, he wanted to feel like he’d done something with his life. He was a humanitarian.”

Heval Dilsoz Tolhildan, who had fought alongside Şehîd Gîvara, in remembrance said; “Heval Gîvara gave his life for the fight for justice and freedom in the fight against the most inhumane gang on this planet. To give justice to such a human and his struggle is not easy. Heval Gîvara was no politician, he was no former soldier, but for me he was one of the most impressive fighters I ever met. Heval Gîvara was a normal human, an English boy from the countryside with the aim to fight Daesh. He was a young man who saw the need to stop evil who turned into a soldier, a comrade and friend who did not care if someone was Kurd, Arab, Muslim or Christian. In the battle against the enemy Heval Gîvara fought at the very frontline constantly searching for the right, not the easiest way. With his determination and way of fighting he took on the enemy without hesitation. This made him a blueprint and source of inspiration who gave us energy and motivation especially in difficult situations. I will never forget the time we spent together. His memory as a human and fighter will always be a shining beacon of hope in dark and lonely moments. All of us should try to live up to his memory and continue the fight for humanity and freedom. We should do this to honor our fallen such as my friend Gîvara.”

Heval Gîvara was martyred on 21 July 2016 at the forefront of the fight for the liberation of Minbic. Wounded by a sniper’s bullet, he managed to apply first aid to himself. He was martyred alongside a YPJ comrade who rushed to drag him to safety when they were hit by a rocket. In accordance with his wishes to be buried alongside his brothers and sisters in arms, Şehîd Gîvara Rojava was buried in the martyr’s cemetery in Derik.

 

 

 

Rodî Çekdar – Martin Gruden

Date and Place of Birth: 27 October 1983 – Ljubljana, Slovenia

Date and Place of Martyrdom: 27 July 2016 – Minbic

 

 

Martin Gruden was born in Ljubljana in Slovenia (then Yugoslavia) in 1983. Just three years previously, the leader of Yugoslavia, Josef Tito Broz had died, marking a time of political, social and economic upheaval, but in spite of this Martin enjoyed a carefree and pleasant childhood in the green and pleasant suburb of Ljubljana where he grew up. Martin grew up with his two sisters, the youngest of three siblings. As a young boy, Martin loved to spend his summers with his grandparents in a small seaside town by the Adriatic coast. Both of his grandparents had fought as anti-fascist partisans during the Second World War, his grandmother even being awarded a medal for bravery. His sister remembers: “The military stories contained in the small library in his grandparents’ house were endless. Perhaps it was these stories, that helped Martin develop a great sense of justice at a very early age – he simply did not tolerate injustice. He got into trouble several times at school precisely because of his truthfulness.”

“Even as a child, Martin was gentle, quiet and calm, and he remained such throughout his life,” continues his sister. “He remained loyal to the values he acquired as a child. He was polite and always ready to help, thrifty, yet generous when needed. Characteristically persistent and determined, almost stubborn.” As he grew older, he developed a keen interest in outdoor sports and physical fitness, an avid surfer and mountain biker.

In the turbulent economic circumstances of the newly-independent Slovenia following the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1990, finding stable employment was not easy. “It was extremely difficult for young people to get a job,” recalls his sister. “Martin never gave up, he always found a job or the job found him.” Martin trained as a mechatronics technician in the field of telecommunications. He was fascinated by computers and technology and loved to take things apart and put them back together again, to understand how they worked. He lived with his family for most of his life, only moving into an apartment of his own a year before he left for Syria.

When Martin left to join the fight against the Islamic State, he kept the true purpose of his journey tightly guarded even from those closest to him. “Perhaps when he left, his concern for his loved ones and, at the same time, empathy, determination and the desire to correct injustices were fighting in him – the ultimate goal of his departure remained unknown almost until the end,” said his sister. He left Slovenia on 8 March 2016, and messaged his family from Iraqi Kurdistan. “‘It’s nice here, they take good care of me,’ he wrote in one of the messages. All of them were positive, full of optimism and this meant hope for us as well, despite the indescribable fear we had for him. The hope that he finds his way, his goal.”

After crossing into Syria from Iraqi Kurdistan, Martin took on the Kurdish nom-de-guerre ‘Rodî Çekdar’. At the internationalist academy of the YPG, he received military, ideological and language education. It was not long before Heval Rodî would find himself in the thick of the fighting in the newly-launched campaign to liberate Minbic. Here he fought alongside other internationalist comrades, some of whom would also fall şehîd – Ş. Delîl, Ş. Ciwan and Ş. Firaz among others.

Şehîd Rodî Çekdar was a brave and dedicated individual who willingly put his life on the line to smash the occupation of Minbic by the criminal Islamic State. He gave his life in the heart of Minbic to secure the city for those who had been forced to flee from their homes, those still under the reign of ISIS. Fighting until the end for the freedom and safety of others, he was martyred on 27 July 2016 at the forefront of the fight for Minbic city centre.

Heval Engîn Berxwedan, a friend who fought alongside him, said: “Heval Rodî was a very kind and caring man who had a sincere interest in helping the people of Rojava in their fight against Daesh. He always had a smile on his face and his mood was infectious, lifting the spirits of all those around him. There was never any task too small for him to complete and he would never complain or attempt to shirk his duties no matter how menial. Though Heval Rodî had no formal military background, he plunged headlong into YPG culture and training once he arrived in Rojava and consistently showed his eagerness to learn military skills and practices in order to be the best soldier that he could be on the battlefield. He was a great friend to all of us.”

Reflecting on his choice to travel to halfway across the world to fight for the defence of the Syrian people and their revolution, his sister said: “Martin came from a family where political topics were never taboo and political positions were clearly (and often loudly) expressed. Despite the occasional disagreement, we have always defended political, social and personal freedoms and cultural diversity. Martin has never defined himself politically and has never publicly announced his political convictions, views or preferences for certain political groups. He was guided by his heart. It stopped on 27 July 2016, far from us, from home, from the sea that he adored. But somehow, although with an aching heart, it felt so right to let him rest where he found his second homeland and where he wanted to stay – as Rodî Çekdar.”

In accordance with his wishes, Şehîd Rodî was laid to rest in the red soil of Rojava. His strength, courage, passion and compassion remain a powerful example for internationalists.

 

 

 

 

Firaz Kardo – Badin Al-Imam

Date and Place of Birth: 1958 – Cairo, Egypt

Date and Place of Martyrdom: 3 August 2016 – Minbic

 

 

 

“If we won’t do this, who will?” – Şehîd Firaz

Born in Cairo, Egypt in 1958, Badin Al (as he was known by his Swedish comrades) was a Kurd whose family roots lay in Başûr (Iraqi Kurdistan). He lived with his family in Cairo until he was 18, after this he moved to Iraq. His father was killed for his opposition to the regime of Saddam Hussein, and this led the young Badin to also fight against the Ba’athist government during the 1980’s. After the Iraq War, he migrated to Europe. He later settled in Sweden, where he lived in both Stockholm and Malmö. A dedicated lifelong socialist, he was active in antifascist struggle in his new home in Sweden. As well as this, he was a working man with a family. He had a wife and two children in his new home in Malmo.

Although he was always attentive to the Kurdish Freedom Struggle, the brutal slaughter being carried out by Daesh, as well as the unfolding social and political revolution in Rojava, captivated him in a way that he could not ignore. At the age of 58, Şehîd Firaz decided to leave behind his life in Sweden and commit himself to the battle against fascism and for human freedom.

On his arrival in Rojava in Spring of 2016, he went through an intensive month-long training period in the YPG Academy. Due to his previous experience and skill as a network engineer, he was sent to work at Ronahi TV where his IT knowledge was sorely needed. Heval Firaz reluctantly agreed, although his ambition was to go to the front and join in the fighting.

With a major offensive to push Daesh out of their stronghold in Minbic on the horizon, he would soon get his wish. One of the friends in his new tabûr remembered him fondly as having “a knack for fixing broken electronics, and a desire to make every space he occupied as luxurious as possible.”

In an interview Heval Firaz said: “To save the land from ISIS gangs I urge all Kurds in Europe to try to return to Rojava to support the country, to defend yourself and your country against Daesh and the Turkish attacks. If we do not do it, who will? To come from all states and be martyred here, it is our duty. Everyone should support this fight – by supporting the struggle here you are not just supporting Rojava, but supporting humanity. To achieve our freedom we must do this work with our own hands.”

The fight for Minbic was a success but it came at the cost of enormous bloodshed. Şehîd Firaz Kardo was martyred alongside Şehîd Ciwan Firat on 3 August 2016 as they advanced to storm an ISIS position on the frontline in Minbic. He is remembered with respect for his courageous sacrifice by comrades in Rojava, Sweden and across the world.

The body Şehîd Firaz was brought to the Semalka border crossing by a procession of friends, family, comrades and mourners from the community. He was to be buried alongside his father in the city of Acre, Duhok. Upon crossing the border into Iraqi Kurdistan, the funeral procession was attacked by KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) security forces, who ripped the YPG flag from his coffin and replaced it with the Kurdistan flag of the KRG, which is often associated with political support for the Barzani KDP. The Rojava Delegation in South Kurdistan condemned the attack saying, “KDP officials have attacked the sanctity and honor of the martyrs. With this attack, the KDP violated all national, social and religious values.” The procession of mourners was not allowed to proceed and Şehîd Firaz was laid to rest alongside his father at a private ceremony with just his family present.

On 10 August 2016 Şehîd Firaz was simultaneously commemorated at ceremonies in five cities in Sweden, Stockholm, Goteborg, Malmo, Ostersund and Ûmea. These commemorations were attended by Swedes, Kurds and migrants from many different countries – leftists, anti-fascists and Kurdish activists. The ceremony in Stockholm was held in front of the La Mano statue, which commemorates the Swedish fighters who were martyred in the anti-fascist fight against Franco in Spain. A speaker from the Rojava Committees drew links between the sacrifice of Şehîd Firaz and the volunteers who fought during the anti-fascist war in Spain: “As a Swedish citizen from South Kurdistan, Firaz went from Sweden to Rojava to fight the ISIS gangs. In the 1930’s, hundreds of Swedes joined the ranks of the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War, so we hold our memorial service here, in front of the memorial statue of the Swedes martyred in Spain.” Speaking at the ceremony, Şehîd Firaz’s uncle said, “We are always proud of him. He worked as an information technology technician in Malmo. My nephew had no contact with any political party. He fought and died for his people. Firaz is not the first martyr of Kurdistan. He will not be the last. But it is worthwhile for people to be martyred for the freedom of Kurdistan. Firaz knew he was going to die, but he sacrificed his life for his country. He was buried in South Kurdistan today.”

A memorial was also held in Kirkuk, Iraq. Kirkuk YJA-Star Commander Beritan Ruken stated that Manbij was liberated thanks to Şehîd Firaz and his friends who struggled and became martyrs, and said: “he joined the Rojava revolution without any self-interest.”

 

 

 

Ciwan Firat – Jordan McTaggart

Date and Place of Birth: 12 July 1994 – Colorado, USA

Date and Place of Martyrdom: 3 August 2016 – Minbic

 

“I came out here because I believe in revolution, I believe in the rights of the people and I believe the Kurds do this well. If I believe I can make a difference, any difference at all – [a] small difference – [if] I can help somebody, a people anywhere… I would like to, and I think I found it here.” – Şehîd Ciwan Firat.

His shy demeanour and detachment from the rest of the group initially had one of his comrades wondering if this sinewy young American vegetarian was cut out for war. However Jordan MacTaggart would soon come to prove all these doubts wrong. “In no time he became the type of guy you want to have around when things got bad.” “He had a huge heart and he was always affected by any injustice,” said his mother, Melissa MacTaggart. “It would hurt him, probably more than other people, like he couldn’t let it go.” As a young boy, he was already attuned to the suffering of others. At the age of 12 he began to refuse Christmas presents, instead asking his parents to give money to a charity in Darfur, Sudan, which provided care for orphaned children.

In the USA he was a committed anarchist and anti-authoritarian who loved punk rock. He was familiar with the plight of the Kurdish people and their struggle for freedom. In 2015 he decided to join the fight against Daesh and support the revolutionary movement that was determined to build a new society in the face of this fascist threat. Heval Ciwan was not content to sit back and watch the fight in Syria unfold. “I’ve always believed people should do something with their lives, instead of just sitting around and going to work, punching in the nine-to-five,” he said in a video interview. “Their cause became his. Without regret or remorse, he was in Syria to do his best to help them,” said his father, Robert. “We support him completely and our sincerest wish is that no one turns a blind eye to this ongoing Kurdish revolution.” “He was his truest self there, his happiest,” his sister, Amanda, says. “That’s what he was meant to do.”

Şehîd Ciwan Firat was injured in 2015 while fighting against Daesh, in a story that became famous amongst international and local friends. During the operation to liberate Girê Spî (Arabic: Tal Abyad), in a small village outside Suluk near the Turkish border, his unit came under heavy fire as they crossed a field. Despite throwing himself into cover behind a pile of rocks, Jordan was hit in the leg by a bullet that ripped through his right thigh. In the chaos of the firefight, he was left behind on the battlefield as the rest of the unit withdrew. He applied a tourniquet and staunched the bleeding and found himself in a difficult position. Laying in between the lines of YPG and ISIS, he was in danger whatever he did. If he moved too much, he would be shot by ISIS. If he crawled back towards his comrades, he ran the risk of being killed by friendly fire. Alone in the no-man’s land between the two fronts, he recorded what he thought might be his last video on his phone. “If this is it, I don’t regret it. I did what I had to do. I believe in this… Don’t let it be in vain… It’s probably past 8 o’clock… One moment at a time. Don’t let the revolution die.” Over the course of the night and the morning he made an agonizing crawl back to his friends in spite of the danger and survived.

He returned to his family in Colorado for a few months before once again traveling back to Rojava in January 2016. Şehîd Ciwan’s two tours of duty in Rojava saw him in the thick of the heaviest fighting in the war against Daesh. His comrades remember him as a brave and capable fighter who would remain cheerful and content when others were complaining. In Rojava he had found his calling.

Şehîd Ciwan Firat was martyred 3 August 2016 alongside fellow internationalist Şehîd Firas Kardo. Heval Ciwan and his team (which also included another internationalist who would later fall in 2018, Ş. Delîl Emerîka – Jake Klipsch) came under heavy fire as they moved towards the target. Şehîd Firas was killed by an IED while Şehîd Ciwan was brought down by a bullet which killed him nearly instantly. His body was repatriated to his home state of Colorado alongside Şehîd Agir (Johnathan Levi Shirley) who had also fallen in the fierce fighting in Minbic.

 

 

 

 

Amed Kobanê – William Savage

Place of Birth: Maryland, USA

Date and Place of Martyrdom : 10 August 2016 – Minbic

 

 

“The solution to the current situation will take time and I have been here for a long time, there have been difficulties in terms of war and life but it is still a great experience for me. I will continue to help wherever I can.” Şehîd Amed Kobanê

Born in Maryland, USA, William Savage worked as a cook in a restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina before he came to Rojava. He had always dreamed of joining the US Army, but was unable to due to a seizure he had when he was 5 years old. Şehîd Amed Kobanê first joined the Rojava revolution in January 2015. “He was fearless,” said his father Reginald. “He wanted to help the Kurds.” His mother had volunteered medical assistance during the Vietnam war. “William got his character of helping others from his mother,” reflected his father. His mother passed away in 2000.

“He represented the best of the foreign volunteers, but also of the United States. There is nobody that has a bad word to say about Will. He was universally loved and everyone has a wonderful story about him. He was the best of the US.” Heval Macer Gifford said in remembrance of his fallen comrade.

In Rojava, he took on the nom-de-guerre “Amed Kobanê”. Amed (Diyarbakir) is widely considered to be the capital city of Kurdistan, and Kobanê is the city whose determined resistance gave inspiration to the world in the fight against Daesh fascism. “He knew that injustice against any human being in any part of the world could be a great danger to all of us,” said the YPG in a statement “so he proudly carried out the responsibility of standing up to those threats. Despite all the differences, William increased our faith in building a peaceful and cohesive life.”

Heval Amed was determined to fight on the frontline of the Minbic operation, where he fought bravely and with distinction. Şehîd Amed was martyred on 10 August 2016 during contact with ISIS fighters on the Minbic front. He fought in Minbic with unwaving determination to liberate the people from the cruelty of Daesh. Owing to the sacrifice of Şehîd Amed and hundreds of other martyred fighters, the YPG declared victory in Minbic city on 12 August, two days after his martyrdom.

 

 

 

 

 

Zana Cîwan – Anton Leschek

Date and Place of Birth: 10 July 1992 – Bielefeld, Germany

Date and Place of Martyrdom: 24 November 2016 – Minbic

 

 

“My message to the world is: open your eyes; look at the suffering that takes place here; listen to your heart; support this movement; because it is the only real democratic force in the Middle East.” – Şehîd Zana

Heval Zana, who hailed from Bielefeld, Germany, joined the struggle in Rojava in 2016. After a period of training at the Internationalist Academy, he joined YPG on the front line in Minbic alongside Arab, Kurdish and International comrades. After participating in the successful liberation of Minbic from Daesh terrorists, Heval Zana remained there alongside many YPG comrades to defend against the onslaught of the Turkish fascist state and its jihadist proxies. In his life in Germany, he trained as an office administrator while living for three years in Berlin. He soon found himself repelled by the emptiness of a life sitting behind a desk,and he left this work behind. He moved to Magdeburg, where his parents also lived, and began to study social work. Although he was not organised in any left-wing structures or part of any movement, Anton was a thoughtful and well-read individual. He came into the contact with ideas of the Rojava Revolution and was excited. “Democratic confederalism convinced him – he wanted to fight for it,” shared Anton’s best friend.

Before long, Anton contacted the Lions of Rojava Facebook page and started making preparations for his journey to Rojava. He sold his car and gave up his apartment. In long conversations with his mother, he convinced her that he was doing the right thing. “I was going to buy him a bulletproof vest and give it to him as a parting gift, but he didn’t want that,” said his mother. “If the comrades don’t have one, I don’t want one either.” Anton replied. “I liked him immediately,” remembers his comrade Cîwan Avasîn. “His personality was sympathetic, honest and open. He did not come to Rojava with an idealistic approach – we often discussed openly about contradictions…and difficulties in this struggle. He wanted to know this revolution and struggle more deeply and to understand life properly. He was not one who had come simply for the fight against Daesh. Şehîd Zana was one of the friends who had come to be a part of the revolution and to defend it against all enemies. Şehîd Zana was a leftist, internationalist, revolutionary. Şehîd Zana and I were united not only by the common struggle in Rojava, the belief and hope for a free and better world, but also the youth whose fate is bought and sold in the capitalist centre. We talked about Germany and our motivations for the internationalist struggle. Şehîd Zana brought up a point that represents a whole generation: bit by bit, he had fulfilled the dreams of his youth, which the capitalist system imposes on us: Car, apartment and other material things. But the closer he came to his dreams the more insignificant they became for him. Şehîd Zana saw no meaning in a life that focused on material things and alienates people from one another. He could not go on living this lie. He saw his hopes and dreams of a democratic and socialist society realised here in Rojava.”

Şehîd Zana’s committment to the internationalist struggle would take him to one of the most dangerous fronts of the War Against Daesh. “The people must not be abandoned to tyranny and terror” he said. “I will support this democratic revolution to the end.” Şehîd Zana was martyred alongside Şehîd Robin Agiri (Michael Israel) and a number of Kurdish comrades in a Turkish airstrike on 24 November.

He is remembered fondly by his comrades and the people of Rojava for his sacrifice. “You have shown me the potential of the youth of Germany. You have given me strength and joy for to continue the struggle. To the sound of your favorite music, which you gave me before you left for the front. I will always have your face before my eyes. I will never forget you. We will never forget you. You are an eternal part of the heart of humanity and the struggle for liberation.” – Heval Cîwan Avaşîn

 

 

 

 

Robin Agiri – Michael Israel

Date and Place of Birth: 18 May 1989 – Lodi, California, USA

Date and Place of Martyrdom: 26 November 2016 – Minbic

 

 

“Do what you can to support their struggle and their revolution in Rojava, give what you can. International solidarity is a must for these people who have sacrificed so much to rid the world of these fascists.” Ş. Robin Agirî

Şehîd Robin wrote these words just three months before he would join those who had given their lives in the fight against fascism. He fell alongside fellow internationalist Anton Leschek (Zana Cîwan) and Kurdish YPG comrades from a Turkish airstrike while engaged in combat operations against Daesh in Western Minbic.

Michael, who fought in Rojava under the name “Robin Agiri” first came to Kurdistan in August 2015, returning briefly to California in November 2015 before coming back in July 2016.

Michael Israel was a lifelong revolutionary who was deeply involved in the liberation movements in his home state of California, USA. He was an organizer within Mother Lode Progressive, an organisation dedicated to the cause of the working class in his birthplace of Amador County, the Industrial Workers of World (IWW), Sacramento Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and an active participant in many anti-capitalist, anti-fascist and anti-war movements. The day after his 18th birthday, he set off on a 3,000 mile “March For Peace” from San Francisco to Washington to protest the Iraq War. He was inspired by meeting International Brigadier Delmer Berg of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, one of the last surviving members of the internationalist unit who fought during the anti-fascist war in Spain during the 30’s. He is remembered by his DSA comrades as “one of our closest and dearest friends, always honest, always humble, always a shining example of kindness, bravery, and integrity. A truly beautiful human being who brought positivity, trust, respect, and empathy always to the world.”

In his own words “The Rojava struggle is the most dynamic and ground breaking revolutionary movement of our time. I am determined that it is the job of leftist allies and internationalists to rally behind this movement, to help build it up and learn from it. Things that we may have only dreamed of in theoretical writing are acted upon in Rojava, modified and adapted to their struggle and made real. Rojava is doing this all and reorganizing society despite the chaos and destruction of 5 years of civil war. The gains of the revolution under such austere and harsh conditions is truly remarkable. Now that I am back in Rojava, I know all my needs will be met. Here I will never be in want of basic necessities for lack of money. I, like all others in Rojava, will never go without food and water, clothing or a place to rest my head at night. The movement takes care of people here.”

After the bloody and chaotic struggle to liberate Minbic, some internationalists including Şehîds Robin Agiri and Zana Ciwan chose to remain in the area to assist in the security and defence of the region. During operations against the Islamist gangs in the countryside around Minbic, the Turkish Air Force bombed his unit, martyring Şehîds Robin and Zana and a number of local friends. This murderous action is a clear example of the Turkish state’s open support for the mercenary gangs of criminals, many of whom are current or former members of Daesh or Al-Qaeda.

A large convoy escorted his body to the border with Iraqi Kurdistan, where an emotional farewell was given by his friends and comrades. “Brothers and Sisters,” they addressed the crowd “On behalf of the Komîteya Kedkarên, the new trade union confederation here in Rojava and the SYPG , we salute the martyr Michael Israel, known here as Robin Agiri. We send this mournful salute to his family and his friends, and also to his comrades in his party the Democratic Socialists of America, and to his brothers and sisters in his unions the SEIU, and the IWW. In his own words he came here not just as an antifascist but also to fight against capitalism and imperialism. We recognise one of our own; his struggle did not begin here in Rojava, he was a worker and part of the workers movement. He knew our strongest weapon is organisation, and at home he fought against low pay and casualisation. Like the best of us Michael knew the class struggle takes many forms; sometimes it takes place with a clipboard and union rulebook in your hand, sometimes with a rifle. Therefore, when he heard the call to defend this new society, he did not hesitate to come here and serve the people. He falls. But he lives on: for we will carry forth his struggle. We will struggle in the workplace and the community and when it is necessary the battlefield, for a just and equal society, for a life of joy and purpose. All those that take inspiration from Michael Israel’s example will see that he lives on. In this way although he has fallen, he has also become immortal – the martyrs are immortal – Şehîd Namirin.”

His body was repatriated to the United States. A large convoy of mourners joined him at San Francisco Airport to accompany him on his final journey to his homeland in Lodi, California.