Watching the deteriorating situation in Syria with great concern. The Kurds are under threat from the new Syrian government that is aligned with Turkey.
It would be a disaster for America’s reputation and national security interests to abandon the Kurds, who were the chief ally in destroying the ISIS caliphate.
Therefore, I will be introducing legislation this week designed to impose crippling sanctions on any government or group engaged in hostilities against the Kurds. The Save the Kurds Act, I believe, will receive strong bipartisan support and must have teeth to make it effective.
Stay tuned.
Kobani, the city regarded as the symbol of defeating ISIS, has been under siege for four days by the terrorists of the new Syrian government. Water, electricity, and fuel have been cut off, and as a result, five children have tragically lost their lives due to the freezing cold and a lack of medicine and medical care. The residents of the city and the thousands of displaced Kurds who have sought refuge there are in a dire situation as food, bread, and fuel supplies are nearly exhausted. Unfortunately, the United States, European countries, international agencies, and human rights organizations remain silent regarding this terrorism by the Syrian regime. Once again, the Kurds are facing another version of ISIS, facilitated by a 'green light' from Trump and the silence of a self-interested international community.
#Kobani #KobaneUnderAttack #KobaneUnderSiege #Kobane @hrw@CNN@BBC@realDonaldTrump@LindseyGrahamSC@TRobinsonNewEra@marklevinshow
#UPDATE: Five Children Die in Besieged Kurdish City as Extreme Cold and Aid Blockade Intensify
The Kurdish Red Crescent reported that five children died in Kobani due to a military siege and extreme cold. Officials are calling for a humanitarian corridor to deliver urgent medical and fuel aid.
🔗: https://t.co/ooSlwxUfwc
#English
Due to the ongoing siege imposed on Kobani, five children (including infants) have tragically passed away so far as a result of the severe drop in temperatures and the acute shortage of heating fuel and essential medical supplies.
The continuation of this siege poses a grave and direct threat to the lives of children, the sick, and the elderly.
We urgently appeal to the international community, as well as humanitarian and human rights organizations, to intervene immediately to break the siege and secure fuel and relief materials before more lives are lost.
We confirm that our staff, relief teams, and aid trucks are in a state of maximum readiness to move immediately and provide medical and relief support to our people in Kobani as soon as the road is secured.
Furthermore, we call upon all international powers and parties to exert urgent pressure to open a safe humanitarian corridor without any further delay.
——-
#Kurdî
Ji ber dorpêça li ser Kobanê, heta niha pênc zarok (di nav wan de zarokên şîrmij hene) jiyana xwe ji dest dane. Ev yek ji ber daketina dijwar a germahiyê, nebûna sotemeniya germkirinê û kêmbûna pêdiviyên bijîşkî yên bingehîn pêk hatiye.
Berdewamiya dorpêçê rîskeke mezin û rasterast li ser jiyana zarok, nexweş û kal û pîran çêdike.
Em bang li civaka navneteweyî û rêxistinên mirovî û mafên mirovan dikin ku tavilê destwerdanê bikin ji bo şikandina dorpêçê û dabînkirina sotemenî û kelupelên hawarçûnê, berî ku em canên din winda bikin.
Em teqez dikin ku xebatkar, tîmên me yên hawarçûnê û barhilgirên alîkariyê di amadebaşiya herî bilind de ne ku tavilê tevbigerin û piştgiriya bijîşkî û mirovî bigihînin gelê me yê li Kobanê, her ku rê were ewlekirin.
Her wiha em bang li hemû hêz û aliyên navneteweyî dikin ku zextê bikin ji bo vekirina korîdoreke mirovî ya ewle bêyî ti derengmayînê.
#Rojava #Kobane
https://t.co/437VTylrZ0
Kurds sheltering in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli are struggling to survive frigid temperatures and shortages of food and water after fighting between Kurdish- and Syrian-led armed forces forced them to flee.
https://t.co/SMJYbXlY2G
#عربي
بسبب الحصار المفروض على كوباني، توفّي خمسة أطفال حتى الآن (بينهم رُضَّع)، نتيجة الانخفاض الحاد في درجات الحرارة، والنقص الشديد في وقود التدفئة والمستلزمات الطبية الأساسية.
إن استمرار الحصار يشكّل خطرًا جسيمًا ومباشرًا على حياة الأطفال والمرضى وكبار السن.
نناشد المجتمع الدولي، والمنظمات الإنسانية والحقوقية، التدخل الفوري لكسر الطوق، وتأمين المحروقات والمواد الإغاثية، قبل أن نفقد المزيد من الأرواح.
نؤكد أن كوادرنا وفرقنا الإغاثية وشاحنات المساعدات في حالة جاهزية قصوى للتحرك الفوري، وتقديم الدعم الإغاثي والطبي لأهلنا في كوباني فور تأمين الطريق.
كما نناشد جميع القوى والأطراف الدولية ممارسة الضغط العاجل لفتح ممر إنساني آمن دون أي تأخير.
#English
Due to the ongoing siege imposed on Kobani, five children (including infants) have tragically passed away so far as a result of the severe drop in temperatures and the acute shortage of heating fuel and essential medical supplies.
The continuation of this siege poses a grave and direct threat to the lives of children, the sick, and the elderly.
We urgently appeal to the international community, as well as humanitarian and human rights organizations, to intervene immediately to break the siege and secure fuel and relief materials before more lives are lost.
We confirm that our staff, relief teams, and aid trucks are in a state of maximum readiness to move immediately and provide medical and relief support to our people in Kobani as soon as the road is secured.
Furthermore, we call upon all international powers and parties to exert urgent pressure to open a safe humanitarian corridor without any further delay.
#Kurdî
Ji ber dorpêça li ser Kobanê, heta niha pênc zarok (di nav wan de zarokên şîrmij hene) jiyana xwe ji dest dane. Ev yek ji ber daketina dijwar a germahiyê, nebûna sotemeniya germkirinê û kêmbûna pêdiviyên bijîşkî yên bingehîn pêk hatiye.
Berdewamiya dorpêçê rîskeke mezin û rasterast li ser jiyana zarok, nexweş û kal û pîran çêdike.
Em bang li civaka navneteweyî û rêxistinên mirovî û mafên mirovan dikin ku tavilê destwerdanê bikin ji bo şikandina dorpêçê û dabînkirina sotemenî û kelupelên hawarçûnê, berî ku em canên din winda bikin.
Em teqez dikin ku xebatkar, tîmên me yên hawarçûnê û barhilgirên alîkariyê di amadebaşiya herî bilind de ne ku tavilê tevbigerin û piştgiriya bijîşkî û mirovî bigihînin gelê me yê li Kobanê, her ku rê were ewlekirin.
Her wiha em bang li hemû hêz û aliyên navneteweyî dikin ku zextê bikin ji bo vekirina korîdoreke mirovî ya ewle bêyî ti derengmayînê.
We convened a productive and constructive meeting in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack @USAMBTurkiye and Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command @CENTCOM .
The support of the United States and President Trump’s @POTUS policy for the ceasefire are of utmost significance and greatly appreciated. Additionally, Ambassador Barrack’s commendable efforts to facilitate dialogue and negotiations between us and the Syrian government are serious, essential and highly valued.
We will diligently and with all our capabilities work to achieve genuine integration and maintain the current ceasefire.
A fighter linked to the Syrian government was seen raising an ISIS flag at the entrance to #Raqqa, once the de facto capital of ISIS. This has fueled concerns about a potential ISIS resurgence and blurred lines between extremist factions in Syria.