08.08.2026 16:50
In the Başkale district of Van, 14-year-old Damlanur Sarihan, who lost her life after being shot at her uncle's house 2.5 years ago, was found not to have committed suicide but to have been the victim of murder, and the details of the brutality were chilling. It was learned that Sarihan's mother, during her daughter's funeral ceremony, pointed at the uncle and wailed, "Don't let him appear before my eyes, you burned us." Additionally, the Kalashnikov rifle used in the incident was not suitable for suicide, and gunshot residue was detected on the uncle's hand swabs.
In the Başkale district of VAN, it was revealed that Damlanur Sarihan (14), who was shot with a Kalashnikov rifle at her uncle F.S.'s house approximately 2.5 years ago and was claimed to have committed suicide, was actually a murder victim. Seven people were detained in an operation organized by the gendarmerie across 3 provinces.
SHOT WITH 2 BULLETS
The incident occurred on January 10, 2024, in the Başkale district. Teams were dispatched to the address upon a report that Damlanur Sarihan had committed suicide at her uncle F.S.'s house. During the inspection by the teams, it was determined that Sarihan, who was shot with 2 bullets in her abdomen, had died. A Kalashnikov rifle was found next to Damlanur Sarihan. An investigation was launched by the Başkale Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the incident. No fingerprints were found during the examination of the weapon.
'SUICIDE' MESSAGES 36 DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT
In the examination of Damla Sarihan's phone, it was determined that in her messages with S.Y., who was claimed to be her boyfriend, there were statements indicating she would commit suicide 36 days earlier. S.Y.'s statement was then taken. S.Y., who confirmed the messages, stated that their relationship had improved and that there was no problem on the day of the incident. Statements from suspects and witnesses regarding the incident were taken.
BED AND ITEMS IN THE CLOSET WERE MESSY
In the examination at the scene, it was determined that the bed in the room was in a messy state, items from the closet had scattered on the floor, clothes were lying messily on the floor, and there was a phone belonging to his other uncle S.S. in the open position on the TV unit in the living room near the entrance door of the room.
"DON'T LET HIM APPEAR BEFORE MY EYES, HE BURNED US"
Additionally, statements such as the uncle named F.S. saying to S.S. on the funeral day, "You will get me into trouble," and while mother B.S. was lamenting at the funeral, saying "Don't let S.S. appear before my eyes, he burned us S.," and again while mother B.S. was sitting with the women, saying "E.S. and his family will have my hands on their necks both in this world and the next," were also included in the file.
EXECUTION CLAIM FROM CONFIDENTIAL WITNESSES
After the establishment of the Department for Investigating Unsolved Crimes under the General Directorate of Criminal Affairs of the Ministry of Justice, the file was re-examined. As a result of the examination and coordinated efforts, confidential witnesses brought to the file stated that the incident was not a suicide but a murder and execution. The investigation was deepened by evaluating the contradictory statements of family members in the file, the detection of gunshot residue on the hand swabs belonging to uncle S.S., and the facts that the weapon used in the incident was not suitable for suicide and no fingerprints could be found on it.
LEFT THE VILLAGE AFTER THE INCIDENT
It was determined that a feud arose between uncle S.S., the file suspect E.S., who is a close relative, and the family after the incident. It was determined that E.S. left the village with his family after the incident, and S.S. obtained a new phone line and first and frequently contacted E.S. with this line.
OPERATION IN 3 PROVINCES
The teams, who assessed that Damlanur Sarihan was killed, issued a confidentiality order for the file and began wiretapping the suspects' phones. Following surveillance, wiretapping, and investigations, an operation was carried out in which S.S. was detained in Tekirdağ's Çerkezköy district, İ.E. in Hakkari's Yüksekova district, and the other suspects F.S., N.S., E.S., K.S., and the child pushed to crime Z.S. in Van's Başkale district. It was reported that the questioning of the suspects is ongoing.