DEM Party Urges Lifting of Siege on Syrian City of Kobane Amid ‘Humanitarian Tragedy’
A pro-Kurdish party is sounding the alarm as a Syrian military offensive intensifies, leaving residents of Kobane stranded and without basic necessities.
- Turkey’s DEM party is calling for an immediate end to the blockade of Kobane, Syria.
- The situation in Kobane has deteriorated into a “deadly catastrophe” following a Syrian military offensive.
- Residents are facing severe shortages of electricity, water, and internet access.
- The DEM party is appealing to international allies to intervene and lift the siege.
Kobane, Syria – Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM party issued a desperate plea Saturday for the immediate lifting of the blockade on Kobane, a city predominantly populated by Kurds in northern Syria, warning of an impending “humanitarian tragedy.” The escalating crisis follows a major Syrian military offensive targeting northeastern Syria over the past week.
The city, also known as Ain al-Arab, finds itself encircled by the Turkish border to the north and Syrian government forces on all sides. Located approximately 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the main Kurdish stronghold in Syria’s far northeast, Kobane is now facing a dire situation.
“Both the military and humanitarian siege on Kobane must be lifted as soon as possible,” stated DEM co-chair Tulay Hatimogullari during a news conference. She described the situation as having escalated from a crisis to a “deadly catastrophe.”
Influx of Displaced Residents Exacerbates Crisis
As the Syrian military offensive gained momentum, residents from surrounding villages have fled to Kobane, seeking refuge but finding themselves stranded within the besieged city, according to Hatimogullari. The influx has placed an immense strain on already limited resources.
“Electricity has been cut off, the internet is cut off, water is cut off. This is a great humanitarian tragedy,” Hatimogullari emphasized, painting a grim picture of the conditions inside Kobane.
Kurdish forces have withdrawn from areas near Kobane in recent days, yielding to pressure from the Syrian military as President Ahmed al-Sharaa aims to consolidate control across the country.
Hatimogullari urged “guarantor countries” – referring to the United States and Western allies who have historically supported the Kurdish-dominated SDF forces – to fulfill their responsibilities and lift the siege on northern and eastern Syria without delay.
