Chiako Yousefinejad: The Second Fallen Environmental Activist – A Champion Who Perished in Flames One Day Before His Birthday and Two Months After His Engagement
Chiako Yousefinejad, a 23-year-old from Sanandaj, lost his life just one day before his 24th birthday and two months after his engagement, becoming another victim of the flames fueled by the negligence and inaction of the Islamic Republic. He was a national champion, martial arts coach, and a devoted lover of Kurdistan’s nature; his life ended in the Abidar Mountain wildfire tragedy.
Life and Love of Chiako
Born to Adel Yousefinejad on July 28, 2001, in Sanandaj, Chiako was a passionate and hopeful young man whose life revolved around his love for family, his dreams for the future, and the natural beauty of Kurdistan, all tied together through sports and aspirations. Just one day shy of turning 24, and only two months after becoming engaged, the flames on Abidar Mountain — a tragedy attributed to the negligence of the Islamic Republic — extinguished his life and dreams.
Chiako the Champion and Coach
Chiako was among the most prominent athletes in Iran and Kurdistan: a five-time Iranian arm-wrestling champion, an Asian medalist in Kazakhstan, and a coach at Dalkord Sanandaj Club, specializing in MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. On June 7, 2023, the Kurdistan Province Martial Arts Federation appointed him as the head of IMAO kickboxing in Sanandaj. Beyond his athletic achievements, Chiako symbolized strength, perseverance, and hope for the youth of Kurdistan, while also actively working to protect the region’s environment.
The Abidar Mountain Tragedy
At 1:30 PM on Thursday, July 24, 2025, a massive wildfire erupted across the slopes of Abidar Mountain, stretching from behind Park-e Koodak (Children’s Park) to the areas around Zagros Township and Hasanabad. The blaze was contained only through the tireless efforts of Sanandaj’s civil and environmental activists.
According to informed sources speaking to Kurdpa, government forces were present only to transport the injured to hospitals, leaving the entire firefighting operation to local volunteers and activists. Despite state media claims of “five fully-equipped firefighting teams,” the reality again exposed the failure and inaction of official agencies and the critical role of the people in combating the disaster.
Two Lives Lost, One Outcry
The cause of the wildfire remains unknown, but such blazes across Kurdistan’s pastures and forests have become a yearly crisis — a consequence of poor planning, lack of equipment, and government neglect. Every year, these fires claim the lives of numerous environmental activists and injure many others.
Chiako was the second environmental activist from Sanandaj to die in this disaster. Before him, Hamid Moradi, a member of the “Shene-ye Nozhin” Environmental Association, died from severe burns in the early hours of Friday, July 25, 2025. Thousands attended his funeral, chanting “A martyr never dies” to honor his memory and struggle.
Neglect and Systemic Failure
Chiako suffered severe injuries and remained in the intensive care unit of Kosar Hospital in Sanandaj for three days. Like many medical centers in Kurdistan, this hospital lacked the advanced facilities necessary to treat extensive burn injuries, a stark symbol of the region’s longstanding deprivation and the government’s disregard.
Chiako ultimately passed away on July 27, 2025 — his death not only caused by flames, but also by the systemic negligence and irresponsibility of the ruling authorities.
For Chiako Yousefinejad
The death of Chiako Yousefinejad is not just a single tragedy; he is one of Kurdistan’s children who, like so many others, became a victim of the Islamic Republic’s policies, neglect, and incompetence.
In Kurdistan, the cry “A martyr never dies” echoes as a reminder of these imposed deaths — a cry that keeps alive the memory of Chiako and other victims of these recurring tragedies.
The name and memory of Chiako Yousefinejad will never be extinguished.
