Turkey again prevents aid convoy from reaching Kurds in Kobane

Turkey again prevents aid convoy from reaching Syrian Kurds in Kobane, Rojava, southeastern Turkey, January 2026. Photo: ANF

AMED,— Turkish authorities have blocked a second humanitarian convoy from reaching Kobane, a Syrian Kurdish town on the border with Turkey, which has been overwhelmed by people fleeing fighting, a local NGO said Wednesday.

Kobane has been struggling over the past weeks under the pressure of thousands of displaced Kurdish residents, as Syrian government Islamist militias and Kurdish forces clash across northern Syria. The humanitarian situation has worsened as people continue to flood the town seeking safety.

Last week, Turkish officials stopped 25 trucks carrying humanitarian aid from reaching the Turkey-Syria border. The convoy included essential items such as water, milk, baby formula, and blankets.

The aid was organized in the Kurdish city of Amed (Diyarbakir) in Turkish Kurdistan, by the Diyarbakir Solidarity and Protection Platform.

After the first blockade, authorities initially allowed the convoy to travel through Azaz, a city in northern Syria, with a delegation overseeing the handover of supplies. However, the NGO said the delegation was again denied permission to deliver the aid.

The NGO said in a statement that “the convoy could not reach Kobane despite all efforts, and the aid was sent back to Diyarbakir.”

Residents in Kobane told AFP last week that the city was running low on food, water, and electricity. Many homes and public services are overwhelmed by the influx of people fleeing the Syrian army’s advance, creating urgent needs for basic necessities.

For more than two weeks, Syrian government Islamist forces have maintained a siege on Kobane.

After months of deadlock and fighting, Damascus and Syrian Kurdish authorities reached an agreement last Friday.

The deal aims to unify Syrian territory, including Kurdish regions, maintain a ceasefire, and gradually integrate Kurdish forces and local administrative institutions, according to the text of the agreement.

Kobane became a symbol of Kurdish resistance when Kurdish forces liberated it from a lengthy siege by the Islamic State group in 2015, marking their first major victory against the jihadist organization.

(With files from AFP)