They call terrorists 'martyrs'... Is this acceptable too?!

The world was up in arms when the “Butcher of Bosnia” Ratko Mladić, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Criminal Court for committing “genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity” and died in prison recently, was intended to be buried with a state funeral. Although Serbia abandoned this plan following the backlash, it still held a grand ceremony for Mladić that was no less than a state funeral.

While our media reported this scene with the headline “Mental eclipse. A funeral like a hero for a genocidaire,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Öncü Keçeli emphasized that “it is unacceptable to exploit Mladić’s funeral in a way that implies a denial of the grave crimes committed and the human suffering experienced,” adding, “The rejection of the court decisions in question or the attempts to heroize convicted perpetrators deepens the pain of the victims and their relatives, and at the same time harms the efforts that have been determinedly pursued for years toward peace and reconciliation in the region.”

As is known, a “Turkey without terrorism” initiative is being carried out in our country. To this end, negotiations are being held with the head of the terrorist organization—which has been responsible for the deaths of 40 thousand of our people and the displacement of thousands over the past 42 years and is serving an aggravated life sentence—and the laws he requests are being enacted.

Within the scope of this initiative, the PKK, which is said to have dissolved itself, has for some time been announcing the terrorists who have died, along with their codenames, real names, dates and places of birth, and dates and places of death, under the title of “my martyr.”

Following this, under the leadership of DEM, condolence tents are being set up in the places where these terrorists were registered in the population records.

It is not just the PKK-DEM; Mazlum Kobani, the head of the SDG/YPG/PYD—who has now been made an advisor to Syrian President Colani/Shara—also considers those who died while fighting after coming from Qandil and the three parts of the so-called Kurdistan as “martyrs,” saying, “Now all their graves are here. They did not return; they willed to stay here and be buried in Rojava soil.”

Returning to the condolence tents that make the nation’s skin crawl; only Deputy Interior Minister Bülent Turan reacted.

After stating, “How can there be condolences 3 or 5 years later? This is nothing but exploitation. Turkey’s laws have not changed. Turkey’s current legislation does not allow for hanging posters of terrorist leaders in the background,” Turan made the plea: “Please do not test the patience of this nation. Please do not make a mistake... Please come to your senses. Please do not play with the nerve endings of this state. Do not play with the sensitivities of this nation. Let us conclude this beautiful process together.”

However, DEM co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları practically defied this by saying, “condolences have been set up in many places, and more will be set up.”

Meanwhile, the attitude of our state toward those condolence tents was announced in the form of lobby information: “the ‘mass condolences’ that have been continuing in the Southeastern provinces for some time are also on the agenda of the state units monitoring the process... although it is claimed that the condolences are part of a social culture, it has been requested that these events not be held in the atmosphere of political activities and rallies... a second warning has been issued that the condolences should be limited to the villages and regions where the families are located... a consensus has been reached that these warnings should be taken into account, the condolences should be held in accordance with their purpose, and they should be terminated after a while.”

In plain Turkish, it was said: “commemorate your terrorists; but do not make a fuss.”

Look at this vast tolerance (!) of our state, which explains that it was our martyrs who brought the terrorist organization to the point of surrender from the very beginning of the process and that “the souls of our martyrs will never be tormented”?!

What Happened to the Governor of Tunceli

How quickly we forget some things. An example?

Despite the claims of our officials that all components of the terrorist organization would be dissolved and lay down their arms, the PKK announced in its so-called congress on May 5-7, 2025, that it had only decided to dissolve itself and “end the method of armed struggle,” and while speaking of “martyrs and veterans,” it announced the identities of two dead terrorists. These were Ali Haydar Kaytan and Rıza Altun, who were known to have been killed by the MIT in 2018 and 2019. The PKK not only declared both terrorists “martyrs” but also “reiterated its promises of success to all struggle martyrs in their person.”

Following this development, commemoration ceremonies were held for those two terrorists in many provinces. So much so that it was alleged that instructions were given that “there will be no stopping or intervention regarding the commemoration ceremonies for PKK members.”

Only the then-Governor of Tunceli, Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu, did not allow the commemoration. An instruction came from somewhere in Ankara: “They will hold a religious ceremony, allow it.” Upon this, the terrorists’ commemoration was held; but when Governor Tekbıyıkoğlu saw that this was not a “religious ceremony” at all, he requested to be withdrawn to the center. The Ministry of Interior then withdrew Tekbıyıkoğlu to the center without stating any reason.

Afterward, it was alleged that the terrorist leader in Imralı voiced the following claims in a meeting with his couriers:

“Now we are talking about the law of brotherhood. Look, Mr. İbrahim came here. There was a governor who opposed the commemoration of Ali Haydar and the others, the Dersim governor. He said, ‘I fired him immediately.’”

It seems that the requirements of that “law of brotherhood” continue to be fulfilled; but doesn’t someone need to answer these questions?

What is the purpose of the PKK announcing the list of terrorists who die/are killed almost every day, where is it intended to lead from here?!

Why is there no voice raised against them being called “martyrs”?!

If Only You Would Retrieve the Body of Our Martyr

DEM members explain that the greatest achievement of the resolution process is that “for 2 years, neither a Turkish mother’s nor a Kurdish mother’s child has lost their life.”

There are those among the government officials who use a similar discourse, saying, “Thank God, there is no more news of martyrs. Our people are not dying.”

Is that so?

Let us remember a very painful event that occurred approximately 1 year after October 1, 2024, when the resolution process was initiated.

During the cave search-and-clearance operation conducted on May 28, 2022, within the scope of Operation Claw-Lock, Infantry First Lieutenant Nuri Melih Bozkurt was martyred as a result of fire opened by PKK terrorists, but Bozkurt’s body could not be reached, first due to intense fire and then despite all searches conducted later.

Upon the testimony of a terrorist during the resolution process, Bozkurt’s body was searched for in July 2025 in a previously closed cave, and it was during this search that exactly 12 of our soldiers who entered the cave were martyred by methane gas poisoning.

While Defense Minister Yaşar Güler announced 4 months after this incident that 4,500 bones were found in the cave in question, all of which were sent to the Forensic Medicine Institute, but none of them matched our martyr First Lieutenant Bozkurt, meaning the body still could not be found, he also stated that his family did not accept the martyrdom, saying, “Find our child.”

Well, didn’t DEM, which now boasts that no one has lost their life for two years, command the following?

“We must build a common future on the basis of justice and peace so that there is no more loss of life and no fire falls into any home.”

What we will say is; while so much tolerance is shown to the PKK and the dead terrorists, does it not occur to anyone to at least ask for the body of our martyred lieutenant to be returned?!

Müyesser YILDIZ

September 11, 2026