When a joke turns to a promise
Erem Kansoy is a well-known journalist who has reported on some of the most important events of the past few years, including the Kobani resistance against ISIS and the refugees crisis from middle east to Europe. He currently is on the frontline in Raqqa. Kansoy is a Cypriot journalist living in London and he is in Kurdish movement as he is revolutionist, He always want to make people’s voice to be heard, people who suffering and being under the fascism. He loves his job and with his job he’s trying to help people to make the world better place to live. He is working for for the leading media organization such as Yeni Ozgur Politika, and Sterk TV also a weekly Kurdish community newspaper Telgraf in London, his frontline works mostly being published on European mainstream media as well.
(Left Firaz right Erem….Photo from London at Erem Kansoy’ Kobane photo exhibition )
Kansoy met Firas Aksoy , a former YPG press member who recently got martyred in Raqqa, in London. They were members in the Kurdish movement in London.
Firas Aksoy knew that Erem was planning to go to Raqqa. Erem asked Firas to join him in Raqqa to cover the clashes and displaced civilians from Raqqa, but Firas was not a war journalist and was interested more in directing documentary films. Firas always wanted to visit Kurdistan and make documentaries about the Kurdish people life. Firas took his decision to join YPG media center and make short documentary videos and other projects. When Erem was covering the news in Raqqa, Firas called him and told about his decision to join YPG media center. Firas arrived to Raqqa after a long trip from Sulaimania south of Kurdistan to Rojava . “At the first day of his arrival to Raqqa, I welcome Firas beside one of YPG Barriers” says Erem. Erem told him that they will make dancing circles when YPG liberate Raqqa, Firas smiled and hugged Erem. After a warm welcome by Erem to Firas, they headed to one of YPG points in Raqqa. In one of YPG points in Raqqa Al-Samra east of Raqqa both companions were sitting on the roof watching the ruthless engagements. Before going in a sleep, Erem and Firas were talking about the importance of Rojava revolution and importance of SDF which includes Arabs, Kurds and Raqqa’s people in fighting ISIS together. During the chat Firas said to Erem joking ” If I die in Raqqa, promise me to keep covering Raqqa until the liberation and you make the last report about the liberation”. Erem replied ” if I get martyred you will write the last report about Raqqa”. After ten days of the last chat, Erem showed him the frontlines in Raqqa so Firas can start covering clashes.
Firas could learn within ten days how to be a good war journalist. Firas and Erem worked, ate and shared the hard times together specifically when they were losing their friends in the battles. Sometimes they were holding the flesh of YPG fighters on their shoulders. “We helped each other to make best coverage of the engagements and civilian movements in Raqqa and to show the world what is going on inside” says Erem. They covered the clashes in Raqqa for total 42 days. After 75 days in Raqqa, in which he spent 42 with Firas, Erem decided to leave Firas and the battles and go back to Europe for taking a rest. After a while Firas also went to Hasaka city (east of Rojava) to take some rest because of covering heavy clashes, then Firas headed to Deir Azzor for covering the ongoing clashes there. Firas spent couple of days covering the clashes there then he came back again to Hasaka. While Firas was back to Hasaka, Erem called him from Sulaimania (south of Kurdistan) telling him that his is coming back from Europe to Raqqa again. Erem told Firas to wait for him in Hasaka so they go together to Raqqa. The next day Firas took a car and went to Raqqa without waiting for Erem because he was so dedicated to his job. Firas told Erem “when I came to Raqqa at the first time you welcomed me, but this time I will welcome you”. When Erem was on his way back to Raqqa, he heard that Firas has been Shahid (got martyred) during ISIS infiltration in Mishleb neighborhood east of Raqqa. Now Erem is in Raqqa and he will keep his promise to Firas and cover the clashes in Raqqa until he write the last article about Raqqa’s liberation.
MCSDF
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