RIHA - The camera of Nazım Daştan, who was killed along with his journalist colleague Cihan Bilgin in a Turkish UCAV strike, continues to record the truth in the hands of his colleague Doğan Cihan.
Journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin were killed in a direct targeting by a Turkish Unarmed combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) while they were covering the attacks of Turkey and its Syrian National Army (SNA) on North and East Syria. On 19 December, on the road between Tishreen Dam and Sirîn town, Daştan's camera continues to recort the truth with the frame of his colleague Doğan Cihan.
His colleague Doğan Cihan, who took over Nazım Daştan's camera at many historic moments such as liberation of Raqqa and Tabqa and the occupation of Afrin, Grê Spî and Serêkanîyê, said that he and Daştan travelled to Manbij and Aleppo during a period of attacks by Turkey and the forces it supported. Cihan said: "On 30 November, around 11 pm, he texted me, 'Are you ready?' I said, 'I am ready'. He went to Manbij and I went to Aleppo. While we were getting ready, he gave me his camera for some reason. It was my first experience as a war correspondent in Rojava. But he was experienced. He was always telling me what to do. After I left, he was always calling me and reminding me to be careful. And now his machine is on the front line and recording."
Stating that they constantly discussed journalism and that Daştan shared his experiences with him, Cihan noted that they agreed that it would be better to make one-to-one transfers, especially in places where there are conflicts. The last time I saw Nazım was on 3 December in Tabqa said Cihan and added: "We said goodbye at 4.30 pm in Tabqa and parted. He went to Manbij, I went to Aleppo-Dêr Hafir line. His machine has witnessed historical moments in Kobanê, Raqqa and Manbij for years. Now I have that machine and I endeavour to convey what happened on the front line to history."
MA / Ceylan Şahinli