Syrian Kurds reach safe zones following Turkish-backed offensive

QAMISHLO, Syrian Kurdistan,— Syrian Kurds displaced by attacks from Ankara-backed Islamic jihadi groups have arrived in Kurdish-controlled regions further east, according to local officials.

The recent escalation of violence has forced many Kurdish families to flee their homes in search of safety.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group supported by the U.S., confirmed earlier that they were making efforts to evacuate civilians from the Aleppo area.

Farhad Shami, a spokesperson for the SDF, told AFP on Monday that a small group of displaced people had already reached the town of Tabqa. He added that more evacuees were expected to arrive shortly, with a convoy of around 200 vehicles making its way to the Kurdish territories.

Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011 following a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests by President Bashar al-Assad, has drawn in various foreign powers and militant groups. The conflict has claimed the lives of over 500,000 people and displaced millions more.

Syrian Kurds have faced numerous waves of violence and displacement during the war and now find themselves once again at the center of the ongoing conflict.

The latest surge in violence began last week when the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as al-Nusra Front, launched an offensive in northwestern Syria, close to the Turkish border. HTS, which is considered a terrorist group by many countries, managed to capture large areas of territory from the Syrian government, including parts of the key city of Aleppo.

Shortly after, Turkish-backed factions initiated an assault on the strategically important Kurdish-controlled area of Tel Rifaat in northern Aleppo province. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that approximately 200,000 Syrian Kurds were now trapped by these Turkish-backed forces, with towns like Tel Rifaat and nearby villages falling under their control.

General Mazloum Abdi, aka Mazloum Kobani, the commander-in-chief of the SDF, stated on Monday that his forces were working to relocate Kurdish civilians from Tel Rifaat and surrounding areas to the safety of Kurdish regions under their control in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava).

Abdi described the situation as rapidly deteriorating, with SDF fighters facing heavy pressure from multiple fronts.

“We are trying to establish a humanitarian corridor to move our people to safer regions,” Abdi explained. “However, the attacks from Turkish-backed armed groups have obstructed our efforts to protect our people.”

Despite the challenges, Abdi assured that SDF forces were continuing to resist the ongoing offensive, particularly in Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo, in an effort to prevent further violence against the civilian population.

The situation remains tense, with escalating threats to Kurdish communities, as the conflict in Syria enters its 13th year. International observers continue to call for measures to protect civilians and end the violence that has caused widespread suffering across the country.

(With files from AFP | Agencies)