Listen here to the daily update:
Dear friends,
We are reporting from Rojava, the heart of the women’s revolution, with our daily update.
The war that Israel and the USA began with their attack on Iran on February 28th has spread further and is claiming more and more lives. Several hundred people are reported to have been killed in Iran, including at least 200 civilians, mostly women and children. On Monday, Israel began bombing Lebanon, where around 50 people have already been killed. The entire Middle East is affected by the war. Even in Rojava, in Qamishli, a piece of a rocket is reported to have landed on Wednesday morning; in other parts of Syria, rocket fragments have already killed people.
Rojhilat, the Kurdish region of Iran, is at the heart of the war. Numerous bases of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard have been attacked there. Furthermore, the Kurdish parties in Iran are the most organized opposition forces. On March 2nd, they issued a joint statement describing the situation in Iran as “decisive days” for the country’s future. They emphasized that the current war is not a war of the Iranian people against external powers, but rather a consequence of the authoritarian rule of the Islamic Republic, which restricts the population’s freedom and has plunged the country into a political and social crisis. The statement called on the population in the Kurdish regions to remain vigilant and coordinated, to align political actions with the alliance’s directives, and to protect public institutions in the event of a collapse of state structures or major unrest. This could be an opportunity for Rojhilat to gain greater autonomy and to implement systemic change based on the democratic principles of these parties.
The war is also clearly being felt in Bashur, the Kurdish region of Iraq. The city of Erbil has been a constant target of Iranian missiles since Saturday, and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have claimed responsibility for attacks in the Kurdish autonomous region. Among other things, they repeatedly attacked the office of the Kurdish People’s Action Committee (PAK).
As early as the end of February, the Iraqi state, together with the Shiite militia PMF, demanded that the Yazidi People’s Liberation Front (YBŞ) disarm. According to a meeting on February 19, Iraqi military and PMF leaders issued an ultimatum to the YBŞ: either they are integrated into the Iraqi army or the PMF, or a joint offensive against them will be launched after March 10. The YBŞ refuse integration into the PMF but have agreed to be accepted into the regular Iraqi army under certain conditions. Tensions are exacerbated by the political and military influence of Iraq and Turkey: Ankara, in particular, is pushing for an end to the YBŞ structures.
Preparations for March 8th
We are all the more determined in our preparations for March 8th.
Throughout Kurdistan, women are decorating cities with colorful garlands.
Kongra Star is calling for action in all cities on March 8th and presenting the action plan for the coming week. The activities, under the motto “Jin Jiyan Azadi – Women Life Freedom,” will mobilize around March 8th to intensify the defense of women’s achievements.
Jin Jiyan Azadi, as a philosophy of women, has a profound meaning. The words represent a free life in which women can breathe. A life in which they find themselves, know who they are, where they come from, and what their significance is for community life. This knowledge is the strongest self-defense we possess.
As part of this, women and other oppressed genders will educate each other throughout the week. Knowledge will be imparted and shared in seminars, and different perspectives will be discussed in women’s meetings. As part of cultural self-defense, art exhibitions, handicraft displays, and theater performances find their place.
The painting by the artist Şhela illustrates the connection between women’s struggles in the Middle East and worldwide.
The painting was created in the wake of the protests against the murder of Jina Amini in 2022. The words Jin Jiyan Azadi have since become a symbol of women’s self-determination.
In deep pain and anger, the artist Şhela cut off her braid in the name of solidarity and the shared struggle. The braid, a symbol of the spirit of women, stands for the building of a democratic society and highlights the connection to the recent attacks on women in northeastern Syria.
In the painting, the braid, positioned within a yellow circle framed by a dark blue background, plays a central role. The yellow circle is reminiscent of a moon, expressing energy and strength. The shape of the circle also encompasses the cycle of women’s history. It is a symbol of interconnectedness in the cyclical cycle of existence and renewal.
With this power of connection, women arm themselves against the deeply entrenched structures of oppression.
Jin Jiyan Azadi – we want to live, and we want to live in freedom.
Come out on March 8th, You will stand with us in Rojava!
For the Yazidis in Shengal, the YBŞ represents protection from the violence and genocidal persecution to which they are repeatedly subjected. Especially with a resurgence of ISIS, an attack on Shengal or the disarmament of the People’s Defense Forces would be an attack on the very existence of the Yazidis.
Beriya Morad from Mala Jin told us during a visit this morning that wars always affect women and children first and foremost. Therefore, it is our duty as women to defend life always and everywhere, to fight for human dignity, and to build a society that can live in peace.
Assassination of Iraqi Activist
We mourn the loss of Iraqi-Canadian women’s rights activist Yanar Mohammed. She was shot dead by two men in Baghdad on Monday (March 2, 2026).
Yanar Mohammed dedicated herself wholeheartedly to women’s rights. She co-founded the organization Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) with other women, thus organizing the women’s struggle.
The TAJÊ – the Yazidi women’s freedom movement – describes the murder as a “targeted political femicide” and considers it an attack on the entire women’s movement in Iraq. The murder of Yanar Mohammed in the days leading up to March 8th are an expression of a “patriarchal mentality” that perceives the growing organization of women as a threat.
In our struggles, we will carry on Yanar Mohammed’s ideas and values. With her legacy, we continue to advocate for women’s rights.
Update on the Integration Process
Despite the war, we must not ignore the developments surrounding the integration process in Syria. In recent days, there has been a prisoner exchange in which several Kurdish fighters were released from the Syrian Transitional Government.
Kobani remains under siege. Although some humanitarian aid convoys are being allowed into the city, there are serious shortages of food, drinking water, fuel, and medical supplies.
According to the agreement, the SDF has begun withdrawing its forces from the city, and a joint checkpoint has been established in the south of the city with Syrian government forces. So far, there is no indication that the Syrian Transitional Government is taking any concrete steps to lift the blockade of the city.
We send you revolutionary greetings from Rojava.
