Kurds hold mass march in Syria’s Qamishli backing unity

Kurds hold mass march in Syria’s Qamishli backing unity
2026-02-01T12:45:25+00:00

Shafaq News– Qamishli

Thousands of Kurds took part in a mass march in the city of Qamishli on Sunday, voicing support for Kurdish unity in Syria and rejecting attacks on Kurdish-populated areas.

Participants waved Kurdistan flags and banners bearing the insignia of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), both affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as they chanted slogans in support of Kurdish unity and the Rojava regions (the Kurdish-majority region of northeastern Syria).

Civil activist Shleer Youssef, who joined the march, told Shafaq News that the demonstration reflected a unified Kurdish stance “in the face of ongoing attacks and threats confronting Kurds in Syria.” She added that sustained protests across Kurdish areas “have helped draw international attention to attacks and violations against Kurds, contributing to pressure that led to their suspension.”

Over the past weeks, Kurdish regions in Syria, the Kurdistan Region, and multiple European states witnessed near-daily demonstrations in solidarity with the SDF. During the same period, clashes between SDF forces and Syrian government troops intensified in parts of northeastern Syria, triggering the displacement of about 130,000 civilians from areas in Aleppo, Raqqa, and Deir Ez-Zor to Hasakah province and the Kobani area, according to the United Nations.

The Syrian government and the SDF announced, earlier this week, a comprehensive ceasefire agreement, including an understanding on a phased integration of military and administrative structures. The deal provides for the withdrawal of forces from contact lines and the deployment of Interior Ministry security forces to the centers of Hasakah and Qamishli to enhance stability.

Read more: Syria’s calm: An end to threat or a start of a complex security phase for Iraq?

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