RIHA - ANHA reporter Îsam Ebdullah's colleague Ekrem Berekat, who stated that Ebdullah was killed following the air attack on Derik city of Northern and Eastern Syria by Turkey, said that Ebdullah had countless news stories and his camera, which turned into ashes during the attacks was left from him.

 

One of the 11 people killed in Turkey's airstrikes on Northern and Eastern Syrian cities was Hawar News Agency (ANHA) Derik reporter Îsam Ebdullah. Ebdullah, who announced the attack in Teqil Betil village of Dêrik to the world with his camera, left behind hundreds of news stories and his camera, which turned into ashes during the attack. His colleague Ekrem Berakat from ANHA spoke about Îsam Ebdullah, who is known for his humble personality.

 

HE WAS KILLED FOLLOWING THE ATTACK

 

Stating that Ebdullah worked for Ronahî TV before and has been working at ANHA since 2018, Berekat stated that Ebdullah worked as a reporter in Derik and Qamishlo. Expressing that it was Ebdullah who announced to the public the air attack carried out by Turkey on the village of Teqil Bekil on November 20, Berekat said, "There has been an attack on Northern and Eastern Syria. The power plant in Teqil Betil, which provides energy for 65 villages of Dêrik, was targeted. Îsam was the first person to arrive at the place where the bombs fell. He went there to make the information public. He went to the scene and was there before anyone else. After he got there, he reported the news and sent it to the agency. He appeared on Stêrk TV  and reported from the scene and conveyed the developments. In the second attack, he was martyred while he was on duty, along with 10 other people. Expressing that Îsam Ebdullah, like other ANHA reporters, was at work 24 hours a day with a camera and a pen in his hand, Berekat said, "As there is a great war in the region, Ebdullah would go there like the others. He was a modest person. He knew the community well. That's why he was well known by everyone. He was a humble journalist."

 

INJURED IN SEMELKA

 

Stating that Ebdullah carried out his work with the philosophy of the free press, Berekat said: "He did his job to expose the attacks and injustices against this people. He did not stop for a minute. He followed the demonstrations of the families of the martyrs on the border for 6-month  in Semelka. He was injured in Semelka following the demonstrations as well. But he did not give up." 

 

REACTION TO THE SILENCE OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS 

 

Stating that Ebdullah was not the first of his fellow journalists to die in the region, Berekat reminded that journalists Said Ehmed, Rızgar Deniz and Dilişan İbiş had previously lost their lives in the attacks of ISIS and Turkey. Berekat said, "We are trying to convey the truth to the world. We continue our profession with the responsibility of the free press" and protested to the silence of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the institutions that defend the rights of journalists in the face of the murder of their colleagues.

 

 

Ebdullah’ın bölgede yaşamını yitiren ilk gazeteci arkadaşları olmadığını söyleyen Berekat, daha öncede DAİŞ ve Türkiye'nin saldırılarında gazeteciler Said Ehmed, Rızgar Deniz ve Dilişan İbiş'in yaşamını yitirdiğini hatırlattı. "Gerçekleri dünyaya duyurmaya çalışıyoruz. Özgür basının sorumluluklarıyla mesleğimize devam ediyoruz" diyen Berekat, Sınır Tanımayan Gazeteciler (RSF) ile gazetecilerin haklarını savunan kurumların meslektaşlarının katledilmesi karşısındaki sessizliğine tepki gösterdi. 

 

MA / Müjdat Can