PUK head urges immediate halt to attacks on Kurds
Shafaq News– Al-Sulaymaniyah
On Tuesday, Bafel Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), called the violence in Syria and Rojava* “unacceptable,” adding that the Kurds “will not remain silent” in the face of violations.
In a statement, Talabani stressed that attacks on Kurdish communities are “rejected by all standards,” noting that Rojava’s Kurds paid a heavy price in the fight against ISIS, and deserve “respect, dignity, and real protection.”
کوردی | Kurdî | عربي | ENGئەوەی لە سوریا و رۆژئاوای کوردستان دەگوزەرێت مایەی قبوڵ نییە و دەبێت بوەستێنرێت. ئێمە بە توندی ئیدانەی ئەم کردەوە بەربەرییانەیە بەرامبەر بە گەلی کورد دەکەین.گەلی کورد بێدەنگ نابێت و چاوپۆشی ناکات.رۆژئاوا هەزاران کوڕ و کچی خۆی لەدەستدا لە شەڕی دژی… pic.twitter.com/1f5eeXzd7i
— Bafel Jalal Talabani (@Bafeltalabani) January 20, 2026
Talabani called on the United States to act “with clarity and with responsibility” to protect civilians and help stabilize the region.
His remarks followed the collapse of talks in Damascus yesterday between Syrian transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa and commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), despite a recent agreement that would place the administration of Hasakah, Deir ez-Zor, and Raqqa under Syrian state institutions. Clashes between Syrian government forces and the SDF have intensified in recent days, expanding to detention facilities holding ISIS inmates.
Read more: Syria’s calm: An end to threat or a start of a complex security phase for Iraq?
*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.
