Bircem Jodi
Kobani — Fighters of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham previously launched attacks on areas of North and East Syria, as well as on cities along the Syrian coast and in Sweida. These attacks specifically targeted the Alawite and Druze communities, leading to widespread massacres that have claimed the lives of thousands so far, without any accountability or serious investigations into these crimes.

In the face of the ongoing massacres, women in the city of Kobani took a strong stand, expressing their anger and rejection. Through our agency, they sent messages of solidarity and support to Alawite and Druze women, affirming the unity of women’s voices against violence and oppression.

 

“The Interim Government Reproduces the Mindset of the Former Regime”

Berîvan Juma pointed to what she described as the reproduction of extremist mentality by the Syrian interim government, saying:
“When we reflect on the events of this year, we realize that no real change has occurred. The interim Syrian government has reproduced the same extremist mentality and practices. From the beginning, attacks were launched on different areas of Syria, during which dozens of massacres were committed and hundreds of women, children, youth, and elderly people were killed. Although the peoples of Syria lived together for many years without notable hostility, this year witnessed the targeting of Alawites, Druze, Kurds, and others, placing them at the heart of genocidal attacks.”

She added that the interim government seeks to exclude Syrian components from the political scene:
“It cannot be said that the former Syrian regime did nothing; it ruled Syria entirely but practiced policies of assimilation through culture, language, and identity—albeit to a certain extent. The current government, however, is working to erase the very existence of Syria’s peoples in a physical sense and to remove them from Syrian geography. Killing, looting, destruction, the vandalizing of antiquities and history, and demographic change are all practices Syria’s peoples have faced during this year.”

 

“Syria Is Sinking into Darkness and the Danger of Sectarian War Is Approaching”

Meanwhile, Avîn Barawad expressed her feelings regarding the ongoing massacres, saying:
“Syria has sunk into darkness this year, and recent events have worsened the situation to the point that it is nearing a sectarian war. As a Kurdish woman, my conscience cannot accept the massacres committed on the Syrian coast and in Sweida.”

She added:
“I strongly condemn the practices and policies of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants and affirm that Syria must not descend into this fate.”

She further stated that HTS militants have reproduced the methods and practices of ISIS, stressing that their downfall will only be achieved through popular unity:
“At a time when we in North and East Syria call for building a democratic system, the country is witnessing dangerous national fragmentation. The continuation of this situation and the insistence on committing massacres against the country’s components will ultimately lead to the collapse of the government.”

She concluded:
“We hope this system will fall on a day resembling Newroz, just as Kawa the Blacksmith overthrew the tyranny of Zahhak. The unity and resilience of Syria’s peoples will also bring down this authority with its jihadist ideology.”

 

 

“Women at the Heart of Wars Pay Heavy Prices Without Justice”

Fatima Khalil expressed her anger over the situation of women, stating:
“Amid the chaos sweeping Syria, it is essential to confront the suffering of women and put an end to the massacres targeting them. Unfortunately, throughout history, women have been at the heart of wars and conflicts, paying heavy prices without justice.”

She continued:
“In the Middle East and across the world, women are often at the center of wars, and today we see Syrian women experiencing the same tragedy. They suffer physical, material, and psychological losses, facing direct killing on one hand and the stripping of their basic rights on the other. Alawite and Druze children were killed before their mothers’ eyes, while women were subjected to brutal violations in front of their husbands. Is there a greater tragedy than this?”

She affirmed:
“We are partners in pain and struggle with all the women of Syria,” addressing a message to Syrian women everywhere:
“We stand with you in your suffering and your struggle, wherever you are and in any region of the country. Our pains are one, and our struggle is shared. From this standpoint, I call on all women to form a united front of struggle. These authoritarian and jihadist regimes are incapable of granting women a safe, free, and democratic life. Therefore, through our unity, strength, and vision, we must build this life and create a democratic and safe Syria with our own hands.