Rojava Kurdistan: Fallen? Never

Syrian Kurdistan Rojava leaders Mazloum Abdi Elham with Ahmed Sharaa Golani Aug 25, 2026 — Illustrative image: General Mazloum Abdi, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), center, and Elham Ahmed, a senior Syrian Kurdish official and former co-chair of Rojava’s Foreign Relations, left, meet with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, in Damascus, Syria, August 25, 2026. **Note: The image has been digitally retouched using AI. The clothing of the Kurdish leaders has been altered to depict traditional Kurdish attire. Photo: SANA/iKurd.net/AI.**

Rojava Kurdistan Has Not Fallen and Will Not Fall

Homer Mohammed | Exclusive to iKurd.net
Translated by iKurd.net from Kurdish SharPress News.

I may have heard thousands of times those discouraging, hope-killing words that have not stopped being repeated since 2011: “The Kurds of Rojava are finished, too; they have been defeated, wiped out, made powerless, sold out, and forced to surrender, devoured by wolves, and, even worse, married off!” But fortunately, the history of their struggle has proven the opposite.

They have not disappeared. Rather, when they suffer a defeat in one place, they emerge stronger and with greater determination in another place, at different stages. That patriarchal way of thinking refuses to understand that they are not commodities to be bought and sold. Most of their fighters and politicians are women, so they marry, have spouses, and are married off.

I am better off not following the noise and clamor of the public. Instead, before I speak, I take a little time to be patient, think, and reflect. My late father used to tell me, “Son, words are like food: chew them well before you swallow them. Words, too, should be chewed well before you spit them out.”

Syrian Kurdish female YPJ/SDF fighter on the frontline, battling the Islamic State group in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), 2017. Though tired, dirty, and sweating, risking death at any moment to defend Rojava, they are smiling and happy. Photo: AFP

Unfortunately, today, throwing out words without any responsibility has become one of the defining traits of some people. It is a shame for a person to speak and then not question what they have said. This lack of self-respect and low self-esteem is a deeply destructive illness, and treating it requires wisdom and a wise person.

But let me not stray from our subject. I have always fully believed that Rojava knows both the art of war and the science of politics. They are good fighters as well as good politicians. That is why I have great trust in the determination of the women and men of this part of Kurdistan. They do not fall; rather, they move forward.

It is also clear that the measure of truth is not simply my own wishes and desires. What does not fit my view does not necessarily have to be wrong, because sometimes people make mistakes in their own analysis and understanding. In short, something does not have to be bad simply because I do not like it. Perhaps my own interpretation is wrong. This is my philosophy and view of life and politics: an understanding based on realism and respect for struggle.

History is neither recorded nor made through careless words and exaggeration. It may be written falsely, but it cannot be made through lies. Even great sacrifice alone does not guarantee that. It is built through wisdom, political skill, and good judgment.

Until now, Rojava has proven that it will not surrender. For them, refusing to surrender has become a conviction. Resilience is not just a slogan; it is an ongoing process of struggling and learning, adapting and rebuilding in the middle of the fire.

Kurdish female YPJ fighters battle Islamic State in Syrian Kurdistan 2014. Photo: YPJ/SN

Come on, the brave are not those who sit in the darkness and curse it; they are the ones who light a candle before them. What protects this experience is combining political wisdom with courage on the ground.

That is why my belief in their future does not come from wishful thinking. It comes from my own reading of reality and my belief in the determination of people of integrity.

Let me go further and suppose, for the sake of argument, that they did suffer a defeat. Should I condemn them, or should I condemn ISIS, terrorists, and fascist governments? What kind of logic is there in my planting the seeds of hopelessness and thereby serving fascists, terrorists, and oppressors? It is important to be sincere and caring, but what good is it to be sincere while remaining naïve and uninformed?

Do not confuse criticism with flattery, because criticism is both a duty and a right, and I do not believe they should be expected to reject criticism, either.

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in SharPress on August 26, 2026.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.