FİDAN ABDULLAH

Aleppo- Thousands lost their lives while fighting ISIS and occupying states in North and East Syria. The revolution led by women in northern Syria has become a great hope for everyone in the world. The people of Rojava keep the legacy of the martyrs of the revolution alive.

The Martyrs Museum opened in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood on March 28, 2024 by the Council of Martyrs’ Families in cooperation with the People's Defense Units (YPG) and the Women's Defense Units (YPJ) aims to pass down the struggle of fighters, who lost their lives while fighting for freedom and the revolution to the next generation. The museum displays many objects belonging to the martyrs of the revolution such as wristwatches, telephones, perfume bottles, military equipment and keys.

The museum was opened on the death anniversary of Mahsum Korkmaz (Nom de guerre: Agît), a founder of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK). “We worked hard for six months to open the museum,” said Roşhan Muhammed, Co-chair of the Council of Martyrs’ Families.

‘They sacrificed their lives for their people’

Today, we have a safe and democratic life thanks to our martyrs, Roşhan Muhammed said. “Our martyrs sacrificed their lives for their people, us. No matter what we do, we cannot repay them. Every object displayed at the museum has a story. They came from different parts of Kurdistan and they were martyred for freedom. Now, they are here, together. Their objects are kept in glass cases at the museum.”

‘The museum is also a memory center’

The museum is also a memory center for the next generation, Roşhan Muhammed emphasized. “At the museum, children and young people will learn the stories of the martyrs. The children of the martyrs are proud of their parents when they visit the museum. We hope that peace will prevail across Syria and that we live together under the umbrella of the system based on democracy.”

‘The museum has the spirit of our martyrs’

Our loved ones lost their lives while fighting to liberate their people and their land, said Zalux Şex Ömer, the mother of Bakur Efrîn who lost his life while fighting ISIS during the Battle of Tabqa. “A part of me died when my son died. The museum has become our home now. We often visit the museum to see his photographs. The museum has the spirit of our martyrs. We will always follow in the footsteps of our martyrs.”