Kobane, one of the symbolic cities of Rojava (West Kurdistan), is facing a severe humanitarian crisis as a result of attacks launched by armed groups supported by the Syrian transitional government and the Turkish state. The process began on 6 January 2026 with occupation attacks targeting the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods of Aleppo, and soon spread to the regions of Deir Hafer, Tabqa, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Hasakah. As of 20 January, Kobane was placed under siege, and on the 22nd day of the blockade, humanitarian conditions in the city continue to deteriorate day by day.
72,000 students deprived of their right to education
The wave of attacks has severely impacted education in the region. In Kobane and its countryside within the Euphrates Canton, including Ain Issa, Sirrin, Chalabiyeh, Qine, Sheran, and their affiliated villages and towns, a total of 72,000 students have been deprived of their right to education.
Students at primary, middle, and high school levels have been unable to attend school due to the attacks. The first semester of the academic year ended on 15 January, and the second semester was scheduled to begin on 25 January. However, all educational activities were suspended due to the ongoing attacks and the siege.
572 schools turned into shelters
In Kobane, 572 schools were completely evacuated of students and converted into shelters for thousands of displaced families.
Around 17 schools in the city center of Kobane and its surrounding villages have been filled with displaced families arriving from regions Raqqa, Tabqa, and Ain Issa, as well as from Til El Semin Camp and Girê Spî.
Schools are no longer functioning as classrooms but as emergency shelters. This situation has entirely paralyzed the education infrastructure.
In Kobane’s schools, the languages of instruction are Kurdish and Arabic. Students whose mother tongue is Arabic receive education in Arabic, while Kurdish-speaking students are taught in Kurdish using materials provided by the Education Council.
The Euphrates Canton Education and Teaching Council employed 4,190 teaching staff. However, due to the attacks, waves of displacement, and the conversion of schools into shelters, only a small portion of this personnel is currently able to continue working.
At this point, in Kobane, which became a symbol of resistance against ISIS in 2014, all 572 schools, 72,000 students, and 4,190 teaching staff have been completely cut off from educational activities due to ongoing attacks. The future of the education system remains uncertain.
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