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Dear friends,
In Rojava, the self-administered region of Kurdistan in Syria, summer has arrived, bringing intense heat. Temperatures reach between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius, and the air is dry and hot. People avoid going outside during the day, and the streets only begin to fill up in the late afternoon as the sun starts to set.
Field Fires
In Hasakah, field fires have caused damage to around 1,000 dunams of land. Since the beginning of the harvest season, the Hasakah Fire Department has extinguished 66 fires, including 14 fires in wheat and barley fields, which affected approximately 992 dunams. Most of the fires were concentrated in the areas of Tel Tamr and Kazwan. According to statistics from the Hasakah Fire Department, 22 fires broke out on agricultural land within its jurisdiction between May 24 and June 8, 2026. These fires destroyed varying areas of wheat, barley, and spelt fields. The damage has had a significant economic impact on farmers. Most of the fires were caused by sparks from combine harvesters during operation, while others resulted from electrical short circuits.
KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Calls for a Struggle Against “Ecological Destruction”
On World Environment Day, the umbrella organization of the Kurdish movement called on people not to accept environmental destruction and the plundering of natural resources in Kurdistan and around the world.
On the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5, the Executive Council of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) called for increased commitment to combating environmental destruction and resource exploitation. In a statement, the umbrella organization of the Kurdish freedom movement emphasized that the protection of nature and the foundations of life must be understood as both a social and political responsibility.
According to the KCK, the ecological crisis is the result of war, capitalism, and systems of state domination based on exploitation, economic growth, and the commercialization of the foundations of life.
The KCK highlighted the situation in Kurdistan, where it says a decades-long “ecological war of destruction” has been waged alongside military and political measures against the Kurdish population. “From Afrin to Behdinan, Botan, Serhed, and Rojhilat, forests have been destroyed, villages depopulated, and natural habitats damaged by dam projects, mining operations, power plants, and other large-scale developments.” The KCK views these developments not as isolated environmental issues but as part of a broader policy of control, displacement, and economic exploitation. According to the organization, many of these projects result in people losing their livelihoods, increasing poverty and migration, and the depopulation of entire regions.
“Every place where our forests are cut down, where our fields and water sources are taken away, every place where dams, power plants, or mines are built, must become a place of resistance for the right to life,” the organization declared. It called on environmental initiatives, local communities, and democratic forces to organize against projects that destroy nature and the foundations of life.
Situation in the Middle East: Iran – USA – Israel war
On June 7, for the first time since the ceasefire agreement reached in early April between the United States and Iran, attacks took place. Late on June 7, Iran fired missiles at Israel after Israel had attacked Beirut. Iran had previously announced that it would not tolerate Israeli attacks on Beirut. Israel has been carrying out attacks on southern Lebanon for several weeks, allegedly to destroy Hezbollah as part of the “Axis of Resistance.” Hezbollah is an allied partner of Iran, which is why Iran responded to the attacks. We condemn Israel’s attacks on the civilian population and the resulting damage to society in Lebanon. Several people were killed in the attacks.
After initial fears that a new escalation between Iran, Israel, and the United States could break out, this can currently be ruled out.
Donald Trump had called on Israel not to respond to the attacks and to adhere to the agreements. Both states continue to issue mutual threats in the event of further attacks.
The United States and Israel continue to aim at reshaping the Middle East and breaking and taking control of the existing power structures. This means the colonization and destruction of the peoples living there, as we can see for example in Gaza. The Mullah regime in Iran is also responsible for human rights violations and poses threats to democratic life and women’s rights.
Power relations in Iraq
The United States, as an imperialist power, is active not only in Israel, Lebanon, and Syria but also exerts influence on the situation in Iraq.
Currently, the issue of weapons in Iraq is once again moving to the center of political and security discussions. In particular, the United States and its special envoy for Syria and Iraq, Tom Barrack, support these processes.
The focus is mainly on disarmament and the integration of Iraqi factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) into the Iraqi state army, the ISF. This is intended to give the Iraqi state greater control over the weapons of the individual factions. However, some PMF factions, especially Shiite armed groups close to Iran, reject this integration in order to remain an independent military structure.
The Peshmerga forces, i.e. the military units of the KDP (Kurdish Democratic Party) and the PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan), Kurdish parties in northern Iraq, are also expected to lay down their arms and integrate into state structures.
The Kurdistan Regional Government, however, rejects any attempt to link the issue of the PMF with the future of the Peshmerga forces. According to the Iraqi constitution, the Peshmerga units are already an officially recognized military force.
The debate over the PMF and the Peshmerga goes far beyond security and legal issues. It is part of a broader power struggle over Iraq’s political future and the distribution of influence within the state. Regional and international actors, particularly the United States, are attempting to shape the country’s security structures according to their interests. While Washington calls for stronger state control over armed groups and seeks to limit the influence of pro-Iranian forces, critics argue that this policy also serves to shift Iraq’s internal power balance in favor of Western interests.
Return to Serêkaniyê
The Serêkaniyê refugee committee has registered the names of 14,000 displaced families who may now finally return to their hometown after seven years.
Preparations for an initial return phase are underway, but security issues remain unresolved.
Security guarantees, return agreements, and practical conditions remain key prerequisites and are currently being discussed with the relevant actors.
Îsmaîl, a spokesperson for the committee, points to the difficult situation in Serêkaniyê, as the city has suffered extensive destruction. “Reconstruction will not be easy and will require long-term efforts,” Îsmaîl stated.
Many of the current inhabitants do not come from the city’s original population.
Serêkaniyê was occupied in October 2019 following an invasion by Turkey and allied jihadist militias. More than 200,000 people were displaced, many of whom still live in nearby refugee camps. Instead of the original, predominantly Kurdish population, people from various Arab countries and other regions of Syria were settled there.
Mariana Conti: Kurdish women have created an important global model
Brazilian politician and feminist Mariana Conti sees the Kurdish women’s movement as one of the most important examples of women’s organization and political resistance worldwide.
She highlights the development of social, legal, ecological, and organizational structures led by women, as well as the resistance against the Islamic State (IS).
“Kurds have shown that women are not only part of social change, but can lead and shape it themselves,” said Mariana Conti.
The Kurdish women’s movement has set international standards through its efforts for political self-administration and women’s liberation.
Conti is an important politician in the left wing of Brazil’s Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL) and is currently serving her third term as a city councilor in Campinas, in the state of São Paulo.
She connects the struggles of Kurdish women with those of women in Brazil, where especially women, Black people, and Indigenous communities face poverty and exclusion. The rise of the far right has further intensified attacks on women’s rights. She compares former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “Both represent authoritarian and far-right political developments that are part of an international trend,” she said.
Therefore, women are at the forefront of resistance against authoritarian and right-wing politics.
Like many people around the world, Mariana Conti sees great importance in the “We Are All YPJ” campaign and expresses her solidarity. The attacks on the achievements of the Rojava revolution make international solidarity more necessary than ever. Women worldwide are particularly affected by war, displacement, social inequality, and the impacts of the climate crisis. Therefore, feminist movements must work across borders. “International solidarity is the path we must take in this struggle,” Conti said.
The cultural and artistic movement Hilala Zêrîn organized a cultural evening in support of the YPJ
In the city of Dirbêsiyê, a cultural evening was organized in support of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ). The event was organized by the Hilala Zêrîn movement in cooperation with the Cultural and Arts Center.
The Hilala Zêrîn movement, together with the Cultural and Arts Center in Dirbêsiyê, organized an evening of poetry and artistic performances in support of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ). The event, held in Şehîd Zevîn Park under the slogan “The YPJ is our existence,” was attended by artists, members of civil society organizations, and council representatives.
After a minute of silence, the head of Hilala Zêrîn, Şêrîn Reşîd, stated that they would continue their support for the YPJ. She emphasized that the YPJ played a central role in the fight against ISIS, demonstrated its strength and position, and represents the will and struggle of women.
And with that, we send revolutionary greetings from Rojava.
