As a result of talks held between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus, the siege on Kobanê was supposed to end in accordance with the agreement. According to statements by the SDF, the lifting of the blockade was expected within a short period in line with the provisions of the accord.
Home to around 500,000 people, Kobanê has been under a heavy blockade for 16 days. The city is surrounded on all four sides, and no aid can reach it. Medical supplies have been depleted, while fuel and food stocks are nearing exhaustion. Electricity is cut, internet access is almost nonexistent, and hospitals have become nonfunctional. Due to the lack of medicines, diseases are spreading rapidly.
‘We liberated this city with our own blood’
Emine Muslim, who was displaced from Girê Spî and has been living in Kobanê for six years, issued an urgent call to the Kurdish people. Stressing that the blockade must be lifted immediately, she said: “We liberated this city with our own blood. All Kurds must rise up. They cannot subdue us through hunger and thirst.”
Emine Muslim emphasized that Kobanê is a symbolic city for every Kurd, recalling the heavy sacrifices made during the ISIS attacks: “Years ago, when ISIS attacked this city, Kurds and Kurdish fighters from everywhere gave their lives to liberate it. This city gained its freedom through great sacrifices. One way or another, we must lift this siege.”
“We are surrounded on all sides”
Asya Kobanê, who lives in one of the villages around Kobanê, described the hardships experienced in the region. Stating that people who cannot return to their villages have had their homes occupied, she said that access to basic necessities has been completely cut off.
“Since the siege on Kobanê began, we have been unable to find food because of war and clashes. There is no electricity or internet. There are no medicines, pharmacies are closed. We cannot meet any of our vital needs. Thousands of people are sick, but there are no medical supplies.”
Appealing to Kurds, regional forces, and the international community, Asya Kobanê concluded: “The siege on Kobanê must be lifted immediately. Everyone who defends human rights must hear this call. What do they want from us? Are they expecting us to surrender and die? We are surrounded on all four sides. All 70 million Kurds must see this situation. This is an urgent appeal to everyone.”