After rising tensions and minor attacks over the last several months, the SyrianTransitional government (HTS) along side the Syrian National Army (SNA) and soldiersvideoed wearing ISIS uniform and known Turkish nationalists, led a joint attack on theKurdish majority neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah which are part of theDemocratic Autonomous Administration.With Tanks, airstrikes and other heavy weaponry the Syrian Army started a heavy siege onthe 6th January. On the 9th …
Aleppo and the Conflict of Geopolitical Identities In the Syrian political and geographical consciousness, the city of Aleppo is more than just aneconomic center or a historical metropolis; it represents the “tipping point” whose inclinationdisrupts the balance of the entire Syrian North. Since the dawn of history, Aleppo has derived itsessence from its position as an indispensable strategic link between the Anatolian plateau to thenorth, the Arab depth to the …
The war that has been raging in Aleppo for the past two days shows us once again: No attack in the Middle East is random, and no conflict is merely “local.” What is being attacked today in Aleppo – with bombs, weapons, and sieges – is not only a city. What is under attack is the will of peoples to live together, the experience of self-government, and, in particular, the …
This month’s newsletter highlights the ongoing struggle for a decentralized and democratic Syria led by women, and the dangers of the next elections. We stand with the women of Sweida facing violence and isolation, and honor the resilience of the Yazidi people of Shengal, who transformed genocide into a renaissance of women’s strength and self-organization. We remember the martyrs who gave their lives for freedom, marking the anniversaries of Kurdish …
„Especially for women, self-defense is the first step. Why? Because women are the ones who are most targeted by violence, attacks, massacres, beatings and all other forms of violence.“ When we think of Rojava, we often think of the courageous YPJ fighters who are defending the women’s revolution. That is truly special. We need units like that all over the world. This is because, at all times and everywhere, we …
The Druze, an ethno-religious group present primarily in southern Syria, have been targeted in two major attacks this year, resulting in thousands of deaths and around one hundred thousand people displaced. The violence involved extrajudicial killings, religious persecution, and systematic abuses against women. The perpetrators are linked to the Damascus interim government forces and allied militias. This fact-sheet details the massacres, their sectarian motivations, the humanitarian impact, and the urgent …
On the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the women’s revolution in Rojava, Kongra Star has published a brochure on the history of the revolution and the current dangers.
13 Years Of Struggle Against Patriarchy And For Women’s Liberation. Thirteen years ago, a revolution began in North and East Syria that has fundamentally changed life and society in the region. As the uprisings in Syria began, the Kurdish people seized their historic opportunity to organise themselves into communes and councils in the Kurdish-majority region of Rojava (Western Kurdistan). In doing so, they laid the foundations for a continually evolving …
It is summer: Harvest time. Here at the Navenda Jiyan Natural Health Center, seeds are collected every day. Plants are watered, bees are fed, potatoes are harvested, and flowers and leaves are diligently picked. The results of this laborious work are gathered in the drying room, where they slowly dried to be used later for medicinal purposes by the Centre. Other items are processed directly into oil or distilled: to …
