Kurdish National Council: Siege Has Led to Severe Deterioration of Living and Humanitarian Conditions in Kobani

ARK News.. The Kobani Local Council of the Kurdish National Council (KNC) in Syria has issued an urgent humanitarian appeal, warning that the ongoing siege has caused a serious deterioration in the living and humanitarian conditions of civilians in the city.

The council stated that Kobani is suffering from acute shortages of basic food supplies, medicines, flour for bakeries, and medical equipment, in addition to fuel scarcity, water cuts, electricity outages, and the absence of the most basic necessities of life. It warned that these conditions pose a direct threat to the lives of children, women, the elderly, and the sick.

Full Text of the Appeal:

Urgent Humanitarian Appeal

Amid the catastrophic and worsening humanitarian conditions in the Kurdish region of Kobani in Syria, the Kobani Local Council of the Kurdish National Council in Syria strongly condemns the suffocating siege imposed by Syrian government forces on the area. This siege constitutes a flagrant violation of international laws, norms, and humanitarian conventions, foremost among them international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the starvation of civilians and the use of sieges as a means of collective punishment.

This unjust siege has led to a severe deterioration in the living and humanitarian conditions of the civilian population. The region is facing acute shortages of essential foodstuffs, medicines, flour designated for bakeries, and medical supplies, in addition to fuel shortages, water and electricity outages, and the loss of the most basic requirements of daily life. These conditions seriously threaten the lives of children, women, the elderly, and patients, placing them on the brink of a genuine humanitarian catastrophe that cannot be ignored or tolerated.

The Kobani Local Council affirms that these developments cannot be separated from a systematic policy of pressure and restriction targeting Kurdish regions and their inhabitants, a policy that undermines prospects for stability and social peace and deepens the suffering of a population exhausted by years of war, destruction, and displacement. It is also impossible to overlook Kobani’s ordeal in 2014, when the city faced a brutal assault and attempted occupation by ISIS, which ultimately failed due to the heroic resistance of its people, supported directly by the brave Peshmerga forces.

In light of this tragic reality and the suffocating siege imposed on the city of Kobani and its countryside, we issue an urgent and clear appeal to the United Nations, the UN Security Council, the European Union, the Syrian interim government, the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, international and regional human rights organizations, and all influential actors in the international community to intervene immediately and exert pressure on the Syrian government to lift this unjust siege unconditionally, open crossings for humanitarian aid, and ensure its safe and swift delivery to those in need, in order to protect civilians and safeguard their human dignity.

We also make a special appeal to the Barzani Charity Foundation, given its well-known humanitarian and national role, to assume its humanitarian responsibility and take immediate action to deliver relief and humanitarian assistance to the besieged population of Kobani, providing the necessary support at this critical moment that demands solidarity and the prioritization of humanitarian values above all else.

We stress that the continuation of these policies will only further complicate the crisis and undermine any serious efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution in Syria.

In conclusion, the Kobani Local Council of the Kurdish National Council in Syria affirms to the people of Kobani that it will continue to use all available means to convey their voice to international organizations and forums, in defense of their legitimate right to a dignified life, security, and stability, until the siege is fully lifted, civilian suffering is ended, and their right to a free, dignified, and safe life is guaranteed.

Kobani Local Council
Kurdish National Council in Syria
Kobani – January 21, 2026

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