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Dear friends,
Today we report from Rojava, the heart of the women’s revolution.
Funeral of Salih Muslim
In recent days, memorial services have been held for Salih Muslim. A large part of the population gathered to mourn Muslim, a significant and profound politician of the Rojava Revolution. Salih Muslim was active in the Kurdish freedom movement for over four decades. After meeting Abdullah Öcalan, the founder of the PKK, in 1983, the political and organizational work of the movement became his life’s work. He was particularly involved in the political and social developments in Rojava and Syria. At the same time, he inspired people with his wisdom and fighting spirit in all four parts of Kurdistan and championed progress there as well. At the funeral, a woman handed us a small photo of Salih Muslim and told us: “Salih Muslim embodied the values of the freedom movement. He was always interested in his surroundings and the people around him. It was important to him to engage in conversation and have meaningful discussions. He placed great value on all people—whether Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Alevis, or Christians—and cultivated these relationships.” Şehîd namirin. After a memorial service in Qamishli, Muslim’s body was taken to Kobanê to be buried in the Şehîdlik, the Cemetery of the Fallen.
Situation in Kobanê
Kobanê remains under siege by forces loyal to the Syrian Transitional Government. This siege has now lasted for 50 days. The shortages of water, food, and medicine persist. Supply convoys are having difficulty getting through, so store shelves remain empty. According to the administration, measures such as internet shutdowns, restrictions on freedom of movement, and the blockade of fuel deliveries continue. The Kobanê Autonomous Administration accuses the Syrian Transitional Government of failing to uphold the agreements reached. The community continues to resist and fight for its right to basic necessities, dignity, and humanity. At the same time, there is an increase in attacks by units of the Syrian Transitional Government in southeastern Kobanê. People are being abducted in several Kurdish villages, and there is violence and threats against the civilian population. The massacres, the violence, and the fear must finally end. Furthermore, contrary to the agreements of the integration agreement, the Syrian Transitional Government has appointed an external district administrator for Kobanê. The agreement stipulated that local people should continue to hold these positions. In a statement, the administration said: “Such decisions ignore the specific political and social structures of the region, as well as the immense sacrifices made during the revolution and the war.”
Afrin
After the initial positive news that displaced families could return to Afrin, this process has now been temporarily suspended by the Syrian interim government. Originally, after the return of 400 families, more families were supposed to follow. In 2018, following the expulsion of hundreds of families, the Turkish state resettled new people in the area. This strategy is forcing a demographic shift and destroying the livelihoods of many people. Due to the newly resettled families—including members of ISIS and other jihadist groups—space is limited and adequate infrastructure is lacking.
Freedom for all missing and imprisoned people
The women’s organization Kongra Star in northeastern Syria has launched a petition campaign for the release of those imprisoned and for clarification of the fate of the disappeared. Women’s organizations, including family members of those imprisoned, are demanding the immediate release of their loved ones. Rûken Ehmed, a representative of Kongra Star, reports that thousands of people have been missing since the fighting in the Sheikh Maksud and Ashrafiya districts, extending to the city of Raqqa and its surrounding areas. Thousands have been brutally murdered, while many fighters of the transitional government have been captured. The initiative aims to build international pressure to clarify the whereabouts of those affected. The campaign was launched on Thursday and is scheduled to run until March 17. The collected signatures will be presented to the public and international institutions on March 18, the International Day of Political Prisoners.
Resistance of the Druze population in Suweida
The people of Suweida are taking to the streets. Banners reading “The authentic Druze people will not retreat” are visible. The demonstrators are also demanding an end to the siege of Suweida and the opening of a border crossing to Israel. They are prepared to form alliances with democratic countries. Attacks on the population of Suweida continue to occur. These attacks are carried out by troops of the Syrian Transitional Government. Last night, the village of al-Majdal, in the western outskirts of Suweida, was attacked with drones. In another location, clashes broke out between the National Guard and groups affiliated with the Transitional Government’s armed forces. This constitutes another violation of the ceasefire. The Syrian Transitional Government’s attacks on the Druze population can be understood as follows:
Firstly, the Salafist Transitional Government opposes all other religious groups that do not adhere to its fundamentalist Islamist ideology and Sunni Islamist beliefs. Secondly, the geographical location of Suweida is of interest to Israel and the USA. With the aim of rebuilding the Middle East, the USA and Israel are openly stating their plan for the David Corridor. This corridor is intended to stretch from the Golan Heights through Druze and Kurdish territories – serving as a new buffer zone against Iranian forces and as a new trade route.
Thus, the attacks on Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as Assad’s Struz, are not coincidental but are connected to these plans. These plans are publicly known and can be found in the USA’s National Security Strategy.
Kurdish Alliance Condemns Iranian Attacks on Southern Kurdistan
The Kurdish alliance of parties from Eastern Kurdistan has strongly condemned Iran’s ongoing missile and drone attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and called on the international community to take action. Since the end of February, the region has been attacked hundreds of times, with refugee camps and party bases also being hit. In a drone attack near Erbil, two Peshmerga fighters were killed and several others wounded. The alliance accuses the Iranian regime of violently suppressing protests domestically and securing its power through regional conflicts. At the same time, it calls for international support for the democratic demands of the Iranian people.
War Policy and Natural Resources
The effects of wars are always felt first in society. The wars in the Middle East are increasingly leading to resource scarcity. For example, the water supply in Hasakah, supplied by the Alouk waterworks, is severely restricted. Over one million people still lack regular access to drinking water because, despite the waterworks being shut down for years, no concrete measures have been taken to resolve the problem. The crisis began on October 9, 2019, with an attack by the Turkish army and allied groups on the city of Serekaniyê. This attack damaged the Alouk waterworks and cut off the water supply to Hesekê. Gas and oil supplies are also becoming increasingly difficult to access due to rising prices.
Resistance to Geothermal Project
In the northern Kurdish province of Muş, a planned geothermal project is facing resistance because it is based on environmental damage and the potential forced relocation of Kurdish-Alevi villages. Residents, expressing their concern and anger, declare: “These lands are not an investment that can be allocated at a desk. Protecting pastures, water sources, and the livelihoods of the population is our shared responsibility.” The energy provider IGNIS H2 Enerji Üretim A.Ş. has received permission to conduct exploratory drilling on pastureland in the Gimgim (Varto) district to search for geothermal resources. The long-term plan is to build a geothermal power plant in the region. Such a project would not only destroy nature but would also mean the forced displacement of 16 Kurdish-Alevi villages.
The Role of the Bêrîvan in Kurdish Society
The work of the Bêrîvan—women who raise and milk livestock and produce dairy products—has a long and central significance in Kurdish society. For generations, this work has not only ensured the sustenance of families but has also shaped the social and cultural life of the villages.
As early as 2023, Türkan Abaylı said: “If a geothermal plant is built here, we will be forced to leave. But where to? Our lives are connected to this village.”
In light of current developments in the Middle East, and especially in Syria, the women of Rojava are determined to further organize themselves and develop new perspectives. On March 17, various women’s organizations from all population groups—Syryoye, Arabs, Kurds, and Christians—will meet to develop further strategies for democratic self-organization.
And with that, we send revolutionary greetings from Rojava.
