Martyr's sister rebels: 'I don't want to see any AKP members here'
At the funeral of Specialist Sergeant Ümit Üzüm, who was martyred after being exposed to methane gas in the Claw-Lock Operation region, his grieving sister rebelled. Reacting sharply to the attendance of AKP officials at the funeral, the martyr's relative said, 'I don't want to see anyone from the AKP here. May the homeland not be safe; give me back my brother.'
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On July 6, 2025, an operation was conducted to recover the remains of Infantry First Lieutenant Nuri Melih Bozkurt, who was martyred on May 28, 2022, in the Claw-Lock Operation region in northern Iraq. However, a major tragedy occurred during search activities in a cave at the 852-meter-high hill when soldiers were exposed to methane gas. Of the 19 soldiers participating in the operation, 12 were martyred.
One of these martyrs was Specialist Sergeant Ümit Üzüm, who was registered in the Kayseri province.
CEREMONY IN HAKKARİ, FUNERAL IN KAYSERI
The remains of martyr Ümit Üzüm were brought to Kayseri by air following a military ceremony held in Hakkari. The funeral, which was met at Kayseri Airport, was placed in the hospital morgue and then bid farewell with a funeral prayer held at the Sarız District Central Mosque.
The funeral was laid to rest with prayers in the martyr's hometown of İncedere village.
HEAVY PARTICIPATION FROM THE MINISTER AND PROTOCOL
The funeral ceremony was attended by Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, AKP Deputy Chairman Mustafa Elitaş, Kayseri Governor Gökmen Çiçek, several members of parliament, party representatives, and numerous protocol members. The grief of the martyr's relatives at the ceremony was heartbreaking.
POLITICAL REACTION FROM THE GRIEVING SISTER AT THE FUNERAL
According to the report by Sözcü, the most striking moment at the funeral of martyr Üzüm was his sister's reaction toward the protocol. The grieving woman expressed her feelings with harsh words when IYI Party Bursa MP Selçuk Türkoğlu approached her to offer his condolences.
The martyr's sister, in tears and anger, stated the following:
“My heart is burning. May fire fall upon the homes of the commanders who gave the permission there, whoever had a hand in this. If mine is burning, may theirs burn too. I don't want anyone from the AKP here. So many soldiers were martyred, what is your problem? For which homeland? May the homeland not be safe. Make my brother stand up and give him to me. The homeland can be yours too.”
The grieving woman continued her words as follows:
“My brother's life is gone. His wife is here, his 3 children are left in the middle of nowhere. I had no one else but him. Who did we give a martyr for? No one should come near me either!”