Nurshan Abdi

Kobani – On January 6, the Syrian Interim Government launched a large-scale attack on Rojava and northeastern Syria, resulting in intense clashes that left dozens dead and hundreds of local residents captured.

With this attack, the Interim Government violated all agreements signed with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and destroyed the ongoing negotiations between the two parties aimed at reaching integration.

The Interim Government committed some of the most brutal atrocities against Kurdish fighters—both men and women—as well as civilians in Sheikh Maqsoud in the city of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Tabqa, Raqqa, Hasakah, and the countryside of Kobani. All these violations have been documented on video.

In the agreement signed between the SDF and the Syrian Interim Government on January 29, one of the clauses emphasized the issue of prisoner exchange. However, the exchange has not yet been completed, and dozens remain detained due to the Interim Government’s delay in implementing the terms of the agreement. In the city of Kobani in Rojava, where dozens of young men are being held by the Interim Government, their families have demanded their immediate release through our agency.

 

“My husband’s health is in danger”

Sabah Khaled Mostaq, whose husband Adnan Aref Mostaq was captured in Deir ez-Zor, stated that her husband’s health is not well. She added:

“My husband, Adnan Aref Mostaq, was arrested in Deir ez-Zor and is now being held with other detainees. He suffers from several health issues—one of his kidneys is not functioning, and the other is in critical condition. The prison conditions are worsening his situation, and we are extremely worried about him.”

She also expressed her struggle to explain the situation to her children, saying that she has six children who ask about their father every day:

“What should we tell these children now? What promises can we make to them? In the end, like other families, we have only seen his photos on social media.”

She added:

“Mothers’ hearts are in pain, and the wives and children of detainees are suffering. Our only request is their immediate release and reunification with their families. Our hopes are high, and we look forward to this happening.”

 

“We fear for the treatment of our fighters”

Rania Mohammad Khalil said that she had spoken with her son before he was captured and went missing, and since that day, she has had no information about him:

“My son is part of the self-defense forces. He was captured in the town of Mansoura in Raqqa. The last time I spoke to him, he said they were surrounded and could not leave. We do not know what happened after that. We have only seen him in photos of detainees posted on social media.”

She emphasized her fear of the brutality of “jihadist groups against our fighters,” adding:

“We want our children to return safely. We do not know their condition or what has happened to them—especially since Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham has done everything to the fighters, torturing and killing them in the most horrific ways. In times of war, anything is possible, but these terrorist groups know no limits and commit the most heinous crimes. When we see images of their actions and violations, our hearts burn, and our concern for our children grows. We are waiting impatiently to see and embrace them, especially with the holiday approaching.”