Dozens of Iraqi Kurds are traveling to Syria to support Kurdish forces facing a Syrian army offensive, expressing solidarity with what they describe as a unified cause. On Tuesday, approximately 20 buses departed from the city of Sulaimaniyah in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, carrying volunteers intent on reinforcing their counterparts in northeastern Syria.
“We’re going to Rojava to defend every centimetre of the land of Kurdistan,” said Rounak Majid, a 58-year-old teacher, told AFP before boarding a bus. “Each of us can defend our homeland in our own way, even if it means taking up arms.”
The mobilization follows a military operation launched nearly two weeks ago by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s forces. The offensive forced the withdrawal of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from Aleppo and continued deep into territories previously controlled by Kurdish forces. The Syrian government, established after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, aims to extend its authority over the entire country.
Integration Under Pressure
The Syrian government’s objective is to integrate Kurdish civil and military institutions into the state, a move that threatens the autonomy the Kurdish minority established in northern Syria during the 2011–2024 civil war. President al-Sharaa announced on Sunday that an agreement had been reached with Kurdish leaders under significant military pressure.
Following the withdrawal of the SDF from Raqa and Deir Ezzor provinces, the Syrian army has massed its troops near Kurdish areas in Hasakeh province, where SDF fighters have now retreated. Damascus has reportedly given Kurdish authorities four days to present a plan for the integration of Hasakeh province, during which a ceasefire will be observed.
Volunteers from Iraq, and even some from Iran, stated their goal was to provide support. “It is our duty as Kurds to rely only on ourselves and our strength,” said Adel Ahmad, a retired Kurdish fighter.
Many Kurds feel let down by the United States, which previously supported them in the campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group but has since backed the Syrian government’s unification efforts.
