RiseUp4Rojava has called for global solidarity to counter Turkish aggression and protect the democratic vision of Kurdish-led North and East Syria, known as Rojava, after a major offensive launched by jihadist militias, including the rebel Syrian National Army (SNA) and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a rebranded offshoot of Al-Qaeda, resulted in an escalation of conflict in northern Syria.
Backed by Turkish support, the militant groups have captured significant territory west of the Euphrates River and advanced towards Aleppo (Haleb), Syria’s second-largest city. The attacks have isolated the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) while displacing thousands of refugees who are now seeking shelter in emergency camps near the Tabqa Dam.
The Turkish-backed operation aims establish territorial borders outlined in Turkey’s 1920 *Misak-ı Millî Pact, with emblematic nationalist tactics including raising Turkish flags and playing Ottoman anthems. Resistance efforts led by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have managed to slow the advance temporarily, with local communities rallying in defence. Meanwhile, the AANES declared a state of emergency on 1 December, calling for mass mobilisation to defend Rojava.
RiseUp4Rojava, a global activism network, condemned the military operation as ‘the largest Turkish offensive against Rojava and northern Syria since 2019’, urging global solidarity to counter Turkish fascism and protect the egalitarian principles of the Rojava Revolution, a social movement birthed in 2012 with the onset of the Syrian civil war. The network denounces Turkey’s “Neo-Ottoman” ambitions and accuses it of seeking to dismantle the Rojava Revolution and further destabilise Syria by empowering jihadist militias. International protests have amplified calls to halt the violence and support the defence of Rojava.
Escalating Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis
According to the statement, Turkish-backed groups, including Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Syrian National Army (SNA), launched coordinated attacks on Kurdish-majority regions including Shahba (Şehba), Tel Rifaat (Til Rifat), and Kurdish neighbourhoods in Aleppo. HTS reportedly took control of Aleppo with little resistance from the Syrian regime.
The SNA, accused of widespread war crimes, is allegedly conducting assaults with Turkish artillery and airstrike support. Reports of women being abducted in newly seized areas have begun circulating on social media.
The affected regions face an escalating humanitarian crisis, with thousands of displaced individuals from Afrin, as well as Christian and other minority communities, under siege. Forced evacuations are underway in Shehba and Tel Rifat to prevent massacres. Meanwhile, the Kurdish population in Sheikh Maqsoud has vowed to resist despite encirclement, and Rojava remains on high alert.
Regional and global implications
RiseUp4Rojava’s statement also highlights the complicity of international powers—Turkey, the US, and Russia—in perpetuating instability in the region. It accuses these nations of prioritising their geopolitical interests at the expense of local populations, drawing parallels to past genocidal events such as the 2014 Shengal massacre.
The Rojava Revolution, with its foundation in grassroots democracy, women’s liberation, and equality, has persisted as a symbol of resistance and hope for over a decade. The AANES has mobilised to counter the current aggression and protect the region’s hard-won freedoms.
Global call to action
The RiseUp4Rojava network calls on democratic and revolutionary movements worldwide to stand in solidarity with Rojava. Their actions include protesting Turkish state institutions and their international supporters, organising rallies to raise awareness about ongoing attacks, and amplifying updates and mobilisation calls through social media.
The network’s statement ends with a powerful affirmation: “Together, we can amplify the resistance and defend the revolution that, with its slogan ‘Women, Life, Freedom,’ continues to give hope to millions.” As the attacks on Rojava escalate, Kurdish communities worldwide are rallying. RiseUp4Rojava emphasises that global solidarity is essential to counteract these aggressions and protect the region’s vision of a just, democratic society.
* The Turkish Misak-ı Millî or National Pact was drawn up by the Ottoman parliament in 1920, and aimed at preserving as far as possible the territorial control the Ottomans held at the time.
