In a statement on August 11, the People’s Defense Forces (HPG) announced the martyrdom of commander Nûreddîn Sofî on April 6, 2021as a result of an attack by the occupying Turkish army in the Bergarê area of the Garê region, in the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).
The umbrella organization of the Kurdish women’s movement in North and East Syria, Kongra Star, released a statement paying tribute to Commander Nûreddîn Sofî, one of the pioneers of the Rojava-North and East Syria Revolution.
The Kurdish commander was laid to rest in his hometown, the northern Syrian city of Qamishlo, on Tuesday.
The statement by Kongra Star Coordination includes the following:
“In his 32 years of struggle, he carried out an unceasing march guided by the thought and philosophy of human freedom through socialism. In every sphere of life, he fought breath by breath to develop his own personality. By educating himself, he also educated his society and his people. Guided by the principle that “what is analyzed is not the individual but the society, not the moment but history,” he always sought to be a true comrade of the ideology of women’s freedom.
The way Comrade Nuretîn Sofî developed in a revolutionary manner exemplifies people’s leader Abdullah Ocalan’s philosophy. In Rojava, Kurdistan, with his patriotic stance, he became a fighter and commander of the Kurdish people. In his personality, he truly embraced the identity of all four parts of Kurdistan. He was a child among children, an elder among elders, and a youth among youth. Tireless, he worked for hours without pause. He always saw himself as responsible to and indebted toward his people. He was a unique figure with a deeply collective sense of self—a symbol of patriotism, of the democratic nation’s line, and of the identity that unites all four parts of Kurdistan. He was at the forefront of the women’s revolution of July 19.
He shattered the jihadist mentality of ISIS with the philosophy of democratic modernity. He was one of those who listened to the voice of freedom and equality, following in the footsteps of those who marched for a life of justice, peace, and democratic confederalism. His entire revolutionary life—never compromising the values he believed in—was dedicated to the brotherhood of peoples and the defense of a democratic society, becoming a guiding light in our lives.
He is not only a story of sacrifice—his inner life was always a source of renewal and creation. His friendship and commitment to gender equality were more than just words: in every aspect of life, he worked to make them real. He considered women’s freedom the foundation of social freedom. He questioned the mold of masculinity and consciously transformed it. His life demonstrated how a bridge could be built between changing one’s own personality and transforming society. His courage was not only in facing adversity; he also learned from his shortcomings, sought his truth, and walked a path built together with others.
We, in the name of Commander Nureddîn Sofî, Koçero Urfa, Baxtiyar Gabar, and all the martyrs of the revolution, pledge to make their legacy the guiding path in the march for justice, peace, freedom, and equality between men and women. We commit to advancing the struggle with the science of a culture rooted in the values of the Mother Goddess. For we know that without free individuals, there can be no free society; without women, we cannot build a free future. This commander was a pioneer of the democratic nation model, carving the path forward stone by stone. We, as Kongra Star, will follow every step in the struggle for a democratic nation.
Once again, we pledge to be victorious in our work and to be the living answer to the martyrs. On this basis, we offer our deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs Nuretîn Sofî, Koçero Urfa, and Baxtiyar Gabar. Let advancing the struggle be our response to all our martyrs.”