Yavi Massacre

Yavi Massacre, on 25 October 1993 in Yavi village (now a neighborhood) of Çat district in Erzurum, was an armed attack carried out by terrorists affiliated with the PKK targeting civilians. As a result of the attack, a total of 33 civilians lost their lives, five of whom were children, and approximately 50 others were injured.^【1】 This attack is regarded as one of the largest-scale operations conducted by the terrorist organization against civilian settlements in 1993.^【2】

Development and Method of the Attack

The attack began on the evening of 25 October 1993 when members of the terrorist organization PKK arrived in Yavi village in a stolen pickup truck. To gain the trust of the local population and break resistance, the terrorists entered the village wearing uniforms of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF). The group announced they would conduct identity checks and gathered the villagers who had assembled at the local café to watch television news. After a substance was thrown into the café, creating a cloud of dust that obstructed visibility, the command "open fire" was given and civilians were systematically shot with long-barreled weapons.^【3】

As the attackers left the scene, they continued firing randomly from the bed of the pickup truck toward the café and surrounding areas.^【4】 The disruption of communication lines connecting the village to the outside world during the massacre delayed the arrival of assistance.

Casualties and Suffering

Among the 33 civilians killed in the massacre were five children. Initial reports listed 32 fatalities; however, the death toll rose to 33 when Hüseyin Dursunoğlu, who had been critically wounded, later succumbed to his injuries due to the inability to remove a bullet fragment from his body.^【5】 Among the victims were Hacı and Rasim Yavilioğlu, brothers who operated the café. Eyewitnesses stated that Alaattin Akdeniz, who attempted to resist the attackers, was the first to be killed.^【6】

Witnesses of the Yavi Massacre (Anadolu Ajansı)

Witness Accounts and Narratives

Survivors’ testimonies provide detailed accounts of the violence and methods used in the attack. Bünyamin Yardımcı, who was 16 years old at the time of the attack, survived by lying among the dead despite being struck by five bullets.^【7】 Another witness, Abdülcelil Köse, stated he was hit by seven bullets and lost both his father and uncle in the same attack.^【8】 Witnesses reported that they initially had no suspicion of the attackers due to their military uniforms, but realized their true identities after the screening operation began.

Commemoration Activities for the Yavi Massacre (Anadolu Ajansı)

Commemoration Activities and Official Recognition

The Yavi Massacre is commemorated annually on 25 October with ceremonies held at the Yavi Martyrs’ Cemetery, attended by the Erzurum Governorship, Çat District Governorship, and local residents. During these ceremonies, recitations from the Qur’an are performed, carnations are placed on the martyrs’ graves, and tree plantings are conducted to honor the significance of the day.^【9】 Official authorities classify the Yavi Massacre alongside the killings of 33 soldiers on the Erzincan-Başbağlar and Bingöl-Elazığ highways as one of the PKK’s deadliest attacks on civilians.^【10】 In the 2024 commemoration ceremonies, 33 students from the neighborhood, each representing one of the martyrs, participated and recited prayers.