31/07/2023

Commemoration of North and East Syria officials killed assassinated by Turkey held in Zalin and Amuda 40 days after their deaths

ZALIN and AMUDA, Syria — Hundreds of residents from Zalin (Qamishli) and Amuda in North and East Syria gathered to honor the memory of Co-Chair of the Zalin Canton Council Yusra Darwish, Deputy Co-Chair Laiman Shwesh, and member of the Bethnahrin National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo D’Bethnahrin, MUB) and driver Furat Daniel Tuma who were assassinated by a Turkish drone strike while traveling on the road between Zalin and Qabre Hewore 40 days ago.

The commemoration was attended by representatives from the MUB and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).

The solemn ceremony took place at the Shrine of Martyr Ismail in Amuda and the Syriac-Assyrian Martyrs Cemetery in Zalin.

The ceremony commenced with a moment of silence to honor the souls of the fallen martyrs, followed by the delivery of a statement by AANES officials which shed light on the significance of martyrdom and the sacrifices made by these brave individuals.

Speaking to our news desk, Co-Chair of the Zalin Canton Council Gabriel Chamoun, the sole survivor of the assassination, expressed his sorrow and condemned the Turkish drone attack. Chamoun highlighted that such violence is part of a long history of atrocities committed by Turkey against the peoples of the region, including the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community.

“The Turkish occupation is trying in various ways to target the AANES project and AANES officials,” he stated. “Turkey has been targeting and attempting to exterminate the peoples of the region for hundreds of years until today.”

“May God have mercy on the martyrs’ souls,” Chamoun continued. “We vow to follow the martyrs’ path and struggle to achieve a democratic Syria that protects the rights of all its ethnic components.”

In the face of such devastating losses, the people of Zalin and Amuda vowed to continue the fight for a just and inclusive society, where the memories and sacrifices of their martyrs serve as a driving force for positive change.