As attacks on Rojava by mercenaries affiliated with the Turkish state, ISIS, and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) continue, security concerns are growing across Kurdish residential areas. Living conditions are becoming increasingly difficult in Kobanê, one of the areas where clashes have intensified, after electricity, water, and internet services were cut.
Sharing his observations from the region, screenwriter Önder Çakar said the developments are not limited to a military picture but reflect a siege process that directly targets the safety of civilians. Çakar, who was also in the city during the 2014 siege of Kobanê, said a similar military pressure is once again taking shape today. He added, however, that the morale, organization, and resistance consciousness of the people are far stronger than in previous years.
According to Çakar, the primary concern in Kobanê today is the safety of civilians and the complete encirclement of the city. He stressed that what is unfolding is not merely a regional conflict, but part of a broader process targeting the social fabric of Rojava and the experience of coexistence among its peoples.
Kobanê is now sealed off from all sides
Çakar said the cutting of infrastructure lines is directly affecting basic living conditions. Comparing the present situation with 2014, he noted that the climate of fear that prevailed at the time has today been replaced by an organized consciousness of resistance.
Çakar said: “There is no electricity, no water, no internet in Kobanê. When these are cut, all of life is disrupted, including access to food. However, our people have the resilience to endure these conditions. I was also here during the 2014 siege of Kobanê. Twelve years have passed since then. Today, the morale and motivation of the people are far stronger than they were at that time. Back then, the major massacres in Shengal and the execution and sexual violence footage released by the ISIS created deep fear among the people. That psychology does not exist today. Over the past decade, there has been a serious process of organization. The people were volunteers then, and they remain volunteers today. What dominates now is not fear, but accumulated anger and a firm determination to resist.”
Çakar recalled that in 2014, Kobanê’s rear line was the Turkish border, which offered civilians a relatively accessible exit and said, “At that time, Kobanê’s back was Northern Kurdistan (Bakur), along the Suruç (Pirsûs) corridor. Border watches were being kept. People came to the border from across Turkey. The border gates were opened, and thousands of people, mostly children, women, and the elderly, crossed into Suruç. Large refugee camps were established there. Today, there is no such situation. Kobanê is closed off on all sides.”
There is no force before us that abides by the laws of war
Önder Çakar said that HTS does not abide by the laws of war and that what is unfolding in the region cannot be described as a conventional conflict. He stressed that the violence has a clear ideological background and continued: “We are not facing a regular army or a structure that abides by the laws of war. We are not speaking of an enemy that recognizes international norms. As can be seen online, they are carrying out large-scale massacres. They are extremely brutal. Specific violence is being directed against women and women fighters.
This structure feeds on a male-dominated ideology. This is exactly what religious fascism is. They seek revenge against women. They massacre children without regard for age. Our concern is directly related to the safety of the civilian population.”
Çakar warned that the consequences of a possible attack could be severe. He said: “No one knows where this will ultimately lead. We place our trust in the self-defense of the people and the younger generation there. We have long since abandoned any expectation that world powers will come and save Kobanê. What has taken place in the Middle East over the past 10 to 15 years has shown that this is not possible.”
The withdrawal was to protect Kurdish regions
Önder Çakar said the withdrawal from Arab-majority areas stemmed from military necessity and represented a strategic choice. He added that the developments should be seen as part of a broader plan, offering the following assessment: “Rojava is a territory large enough to contain several Netherlands. It became necessary to withdraw from areas such as Raqqa, Tabqa, and Deir ez-Zor (Dêrazor). However, today the area facing the greatest risk in the Kurdish regions is Kobanê. A very large civilian population lives in Kobanê. At present, electricity, water, and internet lines have been cut. The aim is to eliminate all means of communication, which directly affects daily life. At the same time, our comrades are still resisting inside the prisons where ISIS detainees are held. No force has been able to enter.”
Çakar said the current process represents a continuation of the international conspiracy of 1999. He said: “There is a major plan being carried out through the complicity of multinational states. The aim is to force the Freedom Movement into submission and to eliminate the alternative system in Rojava. This is because the communal structure here, the experiment in living without a state, has created hope all over the world.”
Kurdish-Arab unity is being deliberately targeted
Önder Çakar said the intercommunal relations built in Rojava are being deliberately targeted, adding that solidarity actions organized across many cities in Turkey and throughout Europe have had a significant morale-boosting impact on those on the front lines. He said:
“Kurdish-Arab friendship has seriously frightened global imperialism. That is why they want to fuel either Turkish-Arab or Kurdish-Arab conflict. What they seek is for us to abandon the idea of the brotherhood of peoples. We are fully aware of why we are resisting. This is not an emotional reflex; it is a conscious stance.
The rear front is extremely important. The presence of our people taking to the streets gives tremendous strength to those resisting here. This sense of ownership determines the continuity of the resistance.”
Without freedom, art has no meaning
Çakar said cultural and artistic life in Rojava has also been directly affected by the attacks, noting that numerous art collectives operate in the region. Calling artists worldwide, he stressed that what is unfolding constitutes a global threat and said:“There are music ensembles, theater groups, and a film commune here. I teach in the cinema department at a Fine Arts University. Our students and artists are ready for self-defense, because without freedom, there is no meaning to making art.
This jihadist structure threatens not only the Middle East, but the entire world. We saw what this meant in the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris. For this reason, artists must adopt a clearer, stronger, and more courageous stance against this inhuman brutality.”
Even hospitals are being targeted
Önder Çakar recalled that the Heviya Sor Hospital in Qamishlo was bombed two days ago by armed drones belonging to the Turkish state, stressing the vital importance of international solidarity. He said: “This is not a military facility; it is a hospital that provides services to civilians and produces prosthetics for wounded people. United Nations observers are also aware of this. Despite that, it was targeted. This clearly shows the extent to which the situation has escalated.
We extend our thanks, on behalf of Rojava, to all the peoples of the world who have supported us so far, first and foremost the Kurdish people. This solidarity is of vital importance to us.”
Who is Önder Çakar?
Önder Çakar is a screenwriter known for the films Takva, Gemide, and An Angel in Laleli. He teaches at the Rojava Film Commune and has been carrying out cultural and artistic work in the region for a long time.