The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) issued a new statement to condemn the siege of Kobane.
The statement said: “Kobanê remains under siege, with essential supplies cut off and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Civilians displaced from surrounding villages by attacks from Islamist armed groups have sought refuge in the city center, further straining already limited resources.”
The statement recalled that in an interview on 22 January, YPJ Commander Nesrin Abdullah, speaking from Kobanê at a press conference, described the situation on the front lines: “The situation at the front is this: they are attacking relentlessly with heavy weapons, using all kinds of Turkish arms and technical support. Thousands of armed gang members have been brought in. These groups, which operated alongside ISIS in its early days, are now reappearing with ISIS flags and symbols and attacking us.”
Commander Abdullah also underlined the determination of Kobanê’s residents: “A ceasefire was declared, but these gangs do not comply. Kobanê is still under heavy attack. We will not surrender. Our people will not surrender and have decided to resist. From age 7 to 70, our people are determined to defend themselves.”
The KNK said: “Across Rojava, a grave situation is unfolding as large numbers of internally displaced people (IDPs) are forced to flee their homes—often repeatedly—to escape ongoing violence. In the depths of winter, hundreds of thousands of civilians now face severe shortages of basic necessities, including food, electricity, and reliable internet access.
In the Suruç district of Riha (Urfa), thousands of people—joined by representatives of the DEM Party and numerous civil society organizations—marched toward the border with Kobanê. Despite violent police repression and the use of tear gas, protesters continued to resist, attempting to reach the border through side streets.”
The KNK added: “Al-Sharaa’s forces and their allied jihadist groups continue to violate the ceasefire, carrying out attacks, committing atrocities, and attempting to advance into and occupy Kurdish areas. Meanwhile, the Syrian Transitional Government and its supporters are deliberately spreading misinformation internationally in an effort to obscure these crimes.
In Kurdistan and across the world, millions of Kurds and their allies have taken to the streets to denounce the silence of the EU, the US, the UK, and the UN—and to condemn their double standards on human rights, democracy, and self-determination. These protests reflect a growing unity among Kurdish people and expanding international solidarity with both the Kurdish struggle and the Rojava Revolution as a political project.”