‘Kurdistan will never fall’: Erbil protesters rally again in support of Kurds in Syria

ERBIL — Large crowds gathered again Friday in front of Erbil’s historic Citadel to show support for Kurds in Rojava, northeastern Syria, and to condemn ongoing violence there, as demonstrations continued across the Kurdistan Region and abroad.

The protest came amid mounting anger over attacks on Kurdish areas by Syrian government forces and allied Islamist groups, which have triggered days of rallies in cities and towns across Iraqi Kurdistan.

Bahoz Mustafa, a writer who joined the demonstration, told 964media, “We are living in a very sensitive and historical phase. If the Kurds succeed in this stage, we will move on to a better and more advanced phase. That’s why we must use all our strength and resources to support our brothers and sisters in Western Kurdistan.”

Mustafa said support must take multiple forms, including public protests and humanitarian assistance, stressing that silence would only deepen the crisis facing Kurds in Rojava.

Among the demonstrators was a young girl holding a braid of her sister’s hair, which she said carried symbolic meaning. “Kurdistan and Kurds will never fall, and Kurdish women will always stand proud,” she told 964media.

The gesture reflects a wider campaign launched by Kurdish women around the world after a video circulated online showing an supposed pro-government Syrian militant holding the braid of a slain Kurdish woman. The footage sparked widespread outrage, with women posting videos of themselves braiding their hair in solidarity with the victim and in protest against the violence in Rojava.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have accused Syrian government forces and allied Islamist factions of committing war crimes during the offensive, including beheadings, mutilation and other abuses against Kurdish fighters and civilians.