Yasin Börü and five companions were martyred during violence in southeastern Türkiye in 2014 were commemorated at their graves in Diyarbakır on the 12th anniversary of their deaths.

Börü, Hasan Gökgüz, Hüseyin Dakak, Turan Yavaş, Riyad Güneş and Cumali Güneş were killed while distributing sacrificial meat during the Oct. 6-8, 2014 unrest.

The commemoration, organized by the Mustazaflar Association and the Caravan of Martyrs Platform, honored Börü, Hasan Gökgüz, Hüseyin Dakak, Turan Yavaş, Riyad Güneş and Cumali Güneş.

The ceremony began with a recitation of Surah Yasin by Cebrail Dedeoğlu. İbrahim Yaz, deputy chairman of the Caravan of Martyrs Platform, then addressed the gathering, stressing the religious significance of martyrdom and the responsibility of Muslims to uphold the legacy of those who lost their lives for their faith.

‘We knew this path would demand sacrifice’

Yaz said those who chose to follow the Islamic path understood that it could require sacrifice, imprisonment and martyrdom.

“These dear martyrs of ours will neither be the first nor the last,” he said. “This cause is great, and this cause demands sacrifices from us.”

He said Börü and his companions remained committed to their faith until the end of their lives and urged Muslims to carry forward what he described as the trust left behind by the martyrs.

Yaz blamed the PKK for the 2014 violence, saying the group targeted Muslims who opposed its policies and refused to abandon their Islamic identity.

He said the violence was also aimed at suppressing the growing Islamic consciousness among Muslims in the region.

‘Our struggle is to stand with the truth’

Yaz described the Islamic struggle as a commitment to tawhid, justice and solidarity with the oppressed.

“Our struggle is to proclaim the truth, explain tawhid, stand with the truth and oppose oppression,” he said.

He urged Muslims to support orphans, vulnerable families and oppressed people, stressing that Islam should shape every aspect of life, including personal conduct, family relationships and social responsibility.

For the organizers, visiting the graves of the martyrs each year is not simply an act of remembrance but also a renewal of their commitment to the values and religious principles they believe the victims represented.

Gaza recalled alongside the Diyarbakır martyrs

Yaz also linked the memory of the six victims to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, saying Muslims should draw lessons from both the 2014 violence and Israel’s ongoing military campaign in the besieged territory.

Referring to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack and the subsequent war in Gaza, Yaz said the Palestinian struggle demonstrated the power of faith and perseverance in the face of overwhelming military force.

“What keeps the mujahid Muslims of 7 October standing is living with the Quran,” he said, highlighting the importance of Quranic education, mosques and Islamic values in sustaining what he described as Palestinian steadfastness.

He urged Muslims to strengthen their relationship with the Quran and make Islam a guiding principle in their personal and social lives.

‘The voice of Islam must rise in our homes’

Yaz particularly called on parents to raise their children with a strong Islamic consciousness, saying families have a central role in preserving faith and moral values.

“The voice of Islam must rise in the home,” he said.

Pointing to the young ages of many of those commemorated, he urged parents to raise their children with faith, a sense of justice and concern for the oppressed.

He said the legacy of the martyrs should not be confined to annual commemorations but should be reflected in the everyday lives of Muslims.

The ceremony concluded with prayers for Börü and his companions, with participants reaffirming their commitment to the Quran, Islamic values and solidarity with oppressed communities. (ILKHA)