Anger spills onto the streets as Kurds protest global inaction over Syrian army-SDF clashes

This week, protests took place across the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and in Kurdish communities worldwide over the dramatic situation in northeast Syria. Demonstrators showed support for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria against forces linked to Damascus, as well as growing worries about a possible humanitarian and security crisis. 

Many rallies included strong criticism of the United States and other countries, along with calls for Kurds to unite.
In Erbil, several hundred people gathered outside the US consulate on Monday to protest the US response to rising violence in Kurdish-controlled parts of Syria.

The protests began after large areas that were previously held by the SDF had been taken over by the Syrian government forces after US-brokered negotiations broke down between SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa. 

Late on Tuesday, a new ceasefire between the two sides was announced, as the Syrian government gave the SDF a four-day ultimatum to fully integrate into the Syrian Ministry of Defence. 

Marches in northern Iraq

On Tuesday, Abdullah Mala Nuri, an independent Kurdish politician, told The New Arab that activists from Sulaimaniyah province in Iraq had organised a march toward northeast Syria, using several buses to transport civilians and activists in support of Kurds in the region.

"This march aims to demonstrate the unity of the Kurdish people, whose land is under occupation, and our people are butchered," Nuri said.

"We are a Muslim nation, yet the so-called Islamic terrorists are massacring Kurds," he added. "The Kurdish people support coexistence, democracy, and human rights. However, the superpowers that claim to defend these values are instead allied with groups involved in ethnic cleansing against Kurds."

Nuri emphasised the need to set aside internal divisions at this critical juncture. "Despite our differences in belief, Kurds must unite," he said, adding, "unfortunately, Kurds have no friends except themselves."

International Kurdish protests

Protests have spread outside the Middle East, with Kurdish communities in the UK, several European countries, and Canada holding demonstrations. They are speaking out against what they call "international silence about atrocities against Syrian Kurds".

Protesters blame the carnages against Kurdish civilians on the Syrian army, the transitional government in Damascus, militias backed by Turkey, and a resurgent Islamic State group.

On Tuesday in London, hundreds of Kurdish protesters gathered outside the office of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. They called on the UK government to take real action against the Syrian military's attacks in Kurdish-held parts of northeast Syria.

Concerns  regarding ISIS detainees

Fethullah Husseiny, who represents the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) in the Kurdistan Region, told The New Arab that activists had entered northeast Syria to support their comrades there. 

Hosseini also warned about security risks in the region, notably regarding the fate of Islamic State prisoners.

He claimed that this could seriously threaten Iraq's stability, especially as Kurdish and Iraqi forces are still dealing with a renewed ISIS threat.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani and Kurdish President Masoud Barzani held separate phone conversations with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa on Tuesday, discussing the latest developments in Syria amid clashes between the Syrian Arab Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Al-Sharaa highlighted an agreement reached with the SDF, while both Iraqi and Kurdish leaders stressed the importance of dialogue, protecting civilians' rights, and maintaining stability and territorial integrity. The talks also focused on enhancing border security, coordinating efforts against remnants of ISIS, and reopening crossings, as concerns grow over potential escapes of Islamic State members from SDF-controlled prisons.