By Payraw Anwar
Kurds in Rojava are once again facing brutal violence. Reports and circulating footage indicate that forces affiliated with Ahmed al-Sharh have launched attacks resulting in the killing of hundreds of civilians and Kurdish fighters. Despite the scale and severity of these events, the international community and major global powers have remained largely silent, choosing inaction over responsibility.
Eyewitness accounts and widely shared videos on social media show disturbing scenes, including the detention, humiliation, and killing of Kurdish female fighters. In some cases, bodies were reportedly thrown from high buildings, while images of forcibly braided hair have circulated as symbols of degradation and intimidation. These images have shocked Kurdish communities worldwide and intensified calls for accountability.
The current silence is particularly painful for Kurds, given their decisive role in the global fight against ISIS. When ISIS rose as a major threat in the Middle East, Kurdish forces were among the first—and most consistent—to confront it. Fighters from Rojava and South Kurdistan, including the Peshmerga and other Kurdish units, fought side by side in Iraq and Syria, sacrificing thousands of lives to halt ISIS’s expansion.
Today, many Kurds view the attacks on Rojava as a betrayal. The perception is that international actors who once relied on Kurdish forces have now given tacit approval—or at least indifference—to actions that threaten Kurdish existence, including attempts to encircle Kobane and dismantle Kurdish self-rule.
The violence unfolding in Rojava cannot be separated from a longer history of Kurdish marginalization in Syria. Since the establishment of the Syrian state after World War I, Kurds have faced systemic discrimination. Kurdish language, culture, and national identity were often banned or criminalized, and thousands were imprisoned simply for asserting their Kurdish identity.
Like the Assad regime before him, Ahmed al-Sharh has continued policies that deny Kurds basic political and cultural rights. Making constitutional frameworks without even mentioning the Kurdish people signals a refusal to accept peaceful coexistence or recognize Kurdish national identity. Yet despite decades of repression, Kurds have endured.
Across the Kurdistan Region, public solidarity with Rojava has been unmistakable. Protesters have taken to the streets, organizing demonstrations and launching campaigns to collect humanitarian aid for civilians affected by the fighting. These actions reflect a deep sense of shared identity and collective responsibility among Kurds across borders.
Political leaders in South Kurdistan have also expressed strong support. In particular, President Masoud Barzani publicly backed Rojava from the early stages of the conflict. This support carries weight for two key reasons. First, the Kurdistan Region is constitutionally recognized under Iraq’s 2005 permanent constitution, giving its leadership legal and political standing in regional advocacy. Second, this stance sends a powerful message: even if global powers turn away, Rojava is not isolated.
What Rojava has endured in recent days has reinforced a crucial lesson for Kurds everywhere—the importance of unity. In moments of crisis, national identity is reshaped and strengthened, and solidarity becomes a form of resistance. Violence may continue, and repression may intensify, but the Kurdish people remain resilient. Rojava is not alone. Kurdistan stands with Rojava—today, tomorrow, and always.