‘Stronger than death’: Halabja residents rally in support of Kurds in Rojava

HALABJA — Hundreds gathered in Halabja Wednesday to support Kurds of northeastern Syria’s Rojava, joining a wave of demonstrations taking place across the Kurdistan Region and abroad in response to recent assaults by Syrian government forces and allied groups against Kurdish forces.

Protesters, including both men and women, assembled in the city center holding signs and chanting slogans backing Rojava. Many expressed concerns about what they described as attempts to erase Kurdish presence in the region.

Laila Ali, an elderly participant, told 964media, “Great Kurdistan needs unity. We must support Rojava. Powerful states want to wipe the Kurds off the map.”

She added, “There should be no distinction between men and women. A lion is a lion,” emphasizing gender equality among Kurds.

Participants marched through Halabja’s main market. Protesters raised banners expressing solidarity with Kurds in Syria.

Nashma Bakhtiar, a young woman holding a sign in English reading “No friends but the mountains,” said, “My message to the enemy is that no force can defeat the Kurds.”

Recent days have seen similar protests by Kurds in the Kurdistan Region and Europe. Protesters have consistently expressed messages of unity and support for the Kurdish population in Rojava, calling for international intervention to stop attacks on the Kurds.

Newroz Kobane, a woman originally from Rojava, told 964media, “All the Kurds should support each other. I wish I could return to Kobane and defend my city.” She said people in Rojava face both physical danger and shortages of basic necessities.

Adla Kobane, another woman from the region, stated, “The enemies of the Kurds cannot defeat us. The Kurds will rise again. We are stronger than death. We are not afraid of death, and we are not afraid of Erdogan. We will defeat the plans of Erdogan and Ahmad Sharaa.”