Colleagues are deeply affected by the assassination of Ahmet Gün, a member of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democracy and Equality Party (DEM Party), interpreting the incident as a political act rather than a simple family conflict. Abdullah Yaman, Co-chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) in Uludere (Qileban), stressed, “His targeting is not just a feud between two families; it’s a direct political message, a political attack.” The fatal attack occurred on 11 December in Taloka village, Şenoba (Sêgirk) town, within the Uludere district of Kurdish-majority Şırnak (Şirnex) province in southeast Turkey. During the incident, Ahmet Gün and his son Abdurrahim were assaulted, resulting in Ahmet Gün being killed and Abdurrahim being injured.
Both Abdurrahim and his cousin Mahmut Gün, who was also present but escaped the attack unscathed, identified the assailants as Enver Babat, Ömer Yarar, Sıddık Babat and Ebubekir Babat, two of whom are members of the state-backed militia, the village guards. Enver Babat (60) surrendered on the same day, but the whereabouts of the other suspects remain undisclosed.
Ahmet Gün remained a dedicated political figure locally despite facing pressure from the village guards. İsmail Tong, a resident of Uludere (Qileban), called the recent attack “barbaric” and held the state accountable for “introducing guns into the community”. He drew attention to the widespread issue of firearms to village guards and the resulting dangers, citing instances of violence and suicides linked to these weapons.
Tong further stressed the systemic nature of the issue, referring to an earlier incident in which a gun issued to village guards had been used to kill five villagers. He called for the the village guards to be disarmed, describing them as a perpetual threat to local communities.
Mesut Gün, a neighbour of Ahmet Gün, spoke highly of the deceased, remembering him as a “valuable and brave comrade” who had suffered personal losses in his commitment to his cause. He noted the dominance of the village guards in the area, particularly the Babat family, and their oppressive actions against dissenters, which was facilitated by state support.
Abdullah Yaman described Ahmet Gün as a steadfast and compassionate figure, who remained dedicated to the Kurdish freedom struggle despite facing imprisonment, torture and several assassination attempts. “This attack is a direct message from both the state and its paramilitary forces,” Yaman emphasised, accusing the state of using village guards to suppress the Kurdish people’s movement.
Feride Ender, another colleague of Ahmet Gün, echoed these sentiments, remembering him as a person embodying compassion, kindness and a commitment to peace. She condemned his assassination as a “deliberate act by the state,” reflecting the broader pattern of state impunity in the face of violence perpetrated by its village guards.
