Symposium in Iraqi Kurdistan rallies support for Syria’s Rojava Kurds
Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah
Hundreds of researchers, writers, and activists gathered in Iraqi Kurdistan’s Al-Sulaymaniyah province on Saturday for a symposium titled “Thank You, Rojava,” exploring the recent tensions in Syria’s Kurdish-run region and their impact on Kurdish unity.
Speaking to Shafaq News, symposium supervisor Ari Hama noted that despite the hardships endured in Syria’s Rojava*, the experience has strengthened Kurdish cohesion, reinforced calls for legitimate rights, and drawn wider international attention to Kurdish suffering and sacrifice. Although public demonstrations in the Kurdistan Region have paused for now, he indicated that organizers plan to “continue addressing violence and aggression through seminars, dialogue, and research initiatives.”
Hama also pointed out that participants highlighted the importance of the coming phase in raising awareness —both within Kurdish society and internationally— about the Kurdish cause and the violations affecting Kurds across the region, while maintaining advocacy grounded in international humanitarian and legal frameworks.
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The gathering followed security tensions in northeastern Syria between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus authorities, which escalated last month and ended with a comprehensive ceasefire on January 30. The United Nations reported that the clashes disrupted supply routes and displaced more than 130,000 civilians, creating shortages of food, medicine, and essential services.
Support for Rojava extended beyond the Kurdistan Region, reaching other Iraqi cities where Kurdish residents held several solidarity rallies. Meanwhile, authorities and civil groups in the Region increased humanitarian aid, launching donation campaigns and sending convoys from Erbil and other cities.
* Rojava refers to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), a self-governing region in northern and northeastern Syria that emerged during the civil war after 2012 and is secured mainly by the SDF.
