Family finds son's grave, 21 years on, in TV news footage
The Gezici family from Van identified the grave of Kahraman Gezici, a PKK member killed in 2005, after spotting it in footage aired on a television program. His mother, Hayriye Gezici, and brother, Fedai Gezici, traveled to Gabar to visit the grave.
RastinewsA family from Van has located the grave of Kahraman Gezici, a member of the PKK's armed wing, the HPG, 21 years after his death, after recognizing it in footage broadcast on a television program.
According to Mezopotamya Agency (MA), the family spotted Gezici's grave while watching footage of a cemetery in Gabar aired on Nûçe TV.
Kahraman Gezici, who went by the name "Kendal Tatvan," was reported killed in a clash in Şırnak's İdil (Hezex) district in 2005.
Mother and brother travel to Gabar
After seeing the footage, his mother, Hayriye Gezici, and his brother, Fedai Gezici, traveled from Van to Şırnak to visit the cemetery.
Cemetery closed to visitors after 2015
The cemetery, where HPG members are buried, was damaged in an air operation in 2015. The area was later declared a "military security zone," and the cemetery remained closed to visitors for a long period.
In subsequent years, Mount Gabar and its surroundings in Şırnak were repeatedly declared a "temporary special security zone" under provincial governor's decisions. Decisions issued in December 2023 and May 2024 barred entry to the area, citing "the safety of life and property."