The Martyrs' Cemetery (Kurdish: Merzelî Şehîdan Kobanê)[1] is in Kobanî, in the Rojava region of Syria. It was established in 2012[2] and is used for the members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) (in particular those of the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) killed during the Rojava conflict, part of the Syrian civil war. Many of the defenders killed during the siege of Kobanî against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) are buried here. By 2019, approximately 1300 had been buried at the cemetery.[3]
| Martyrs' Cemetery | |
|---|---|
 Abu Layla's grave in front of the Martyrs' Monument | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Established | 2012 |
| Country | Syria |
| Coordinates | 36°51′54″N 38°20′12″E / 36.86500°N 38.33667°E |
| Owned by | Kobanî Martyrs' Institute |
| No. of graves | 1300 |
The dead are remembered every month with a martyrs' ceremony.[4] The graves are made of marble and ordered in symmetrical rows and the cemetery is maintained by employees of the Martyrs' Institute.[5] The cemetery includes five spikes arranged in a hemicycle[2] and a dome erected as a memorial. In the dome, artifacts and images of the fallen are displayed.[5] Abu Layla, a well-known SDF commander, is buried there.
References
edit- ^ "Merzelî Şehîdan Kobanê, Aleppo". vymaps.com. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
- ^ a b "In Kobane, a monument to lives lost and battles won against Daesh". Arab News. 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
- ^ "Abandoned by America: How the Kurds have once again been 'stabbed in the back'". The National. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
- ^ "The city of heroes". ANF News. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
- ^ a b Nordland, Rod (2018-02-19). "Kurdish Syria, Where the Fallen Find Fame". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-02.