Graham pledges ‘Save the Kurds Act’ amid attacks on Rojava

NEWSROOM – U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he will introduce legislation this week in response to ongoing attacks against Kurds in Rojava, northeastern Syria, warning that continued hostilities could harm U.S. national security and the country’s reputation.

In a post published Tuesday on X, Graham wrote, “Watching the deteriorating situation in Syria with great concern. The Kurds are under threat from the new Syrian government that is aligned with Turkey.”

His comments come as Syrian interim government forces and allied Islamist militias continue assaults on Kurds in Rojava and elsewhere in Syria.

Graham emphasized the role Kurdish forces played in the fight against the Islamic State group, calling them America’s “chief ally in destroying the ISIS caliphate.” He warned that abandoning Kurdish partners now would be “a disaster for America’s reputation and national security interests.”

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, formed in 2015, served as the primary ground partner of the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Supported by the United States, the SDF was central to military campaigns that dismantled the territorial “caliphate” established by the Islamic State.

Graham said his planned bill would impose economic measures on those responsible for attacks on Kurds. “Therefore, I will be introducing legislation this week designed to impose crippling sanctions on any government or group engaged in hostilities against the Kurds,” he said.

Graham said the proposal, titled the “Save the Kurds Act,” is expected to draw support from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. “I believe [it] will receive strong bipartisan support and must have teeth to make it effective,” Graham said, adding, “Stay tuned.”

Graham has been a consistent advocate for Kurds in Syria, particularly following U.S. withdrawals from parts of the region in previous years.

Working with coalition forces, the SDF liberated key ISIS strongholds, including Raqqa, widely regarded as the extremist group’s de facto capital, and other strategic areas across northeastern Syria.

The SDF also played a significant role in securing and managing detention facilities and camps holding ISIS fighters and their families, a task integral to preventing a resurgence of violence even after the loss of ISIS territory.

Many Kurds have expressed a growing sense of abandonment by the United States following recent political and military developments in Syria. Kurds argue that the partnership with the U.S., once central to the defeat of ISIS and stability in northeastern Syria, has not translated into sustained political or security guarantees.