TISHRIN DAM, Syria — The situation at a significant dam in northern Syria has turned increasingly tense amid escalating confrontations between Kurdish forces and armed groups backed by Turkey. This rise in conflict has been particularly pronounced following the rapid fall of former President Bashar Assad’s regime.
On Wednesday afternoon, over a thousand individuals from the Kurdish regions in northeast Syria assembled at the Tishrin Dam, located on the Euphrates River in Aleppo province. This dam is crucial for the provision of both drinking water and electricity, becoming a focal point for recent clashes.
Demonstrators voiced their demands for an end to Turkish airstrikes, asserting that these military actions are inflicting damage on critical infrastructure and putting civilian lives at risk. Reports indicate that Turkish drones and fighter planes were active during the protest, and airstrikes occurred in proximity to the demonstration route, as confirmed by witnesses and monitoring organizations. The health administration in the city of Kobani reported that these airstrikes resulted in the deaths of five civilians and left 15 others injured.
In response, Turkey has accused the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces of using civilians as “human shields” by encouraging crowds to gather in disputed areas. The Syrian National Army, a coalition of Turkish-affiliated groups, has launched assaults aimed at capturing territory near the Turkish border that is currently held by Kurdish factions. Intense fighting has been reported surrounding the Tishrin Dam, roughly 90 kilometers (60 miles) east of Aleppo.
“As we marched, there were approximately 13 or 14 airstrikes occurring around us,” stated Berfin Dumar from Kobani, who took part in the protest. “They aimed to silence us, preventing us from safeguarding this dam.”
Farhan Haj Issa, co-chair of the executive council of the Autonomous Administration in Kobani, appealed for intervention from both the new Syrian authorities and the U.S.-led coalition, which has cooperated with Kurdish forces in countering the Islamic State. He expressed concern that following the dissolution of the Baath regime, the prospects for dialogue and resolution have been overshadowed by increased aggression from Turkey and its allied factions.
He urged those in power in Damascus to take responsibility and put an end to the violence. In a subsequent interview, Haj Issa reiterated his call for support from the U.S.-led coalition. “We collaborated with the coalition against global terrorism; it’s time for them to join us against this aggression,” he emphasized.
The newly emerging Syrian government is largely influenced by the Islamist former insurgent movement known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has collaborated with Turkish-backed groups in the offensive that led to Assad’s downfall. HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa has suggested that Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces be incorporated into a national army that the new authorities in Damascus are striving to establish from various armed factions.
Turkish defense ministry officials, quoted by the state-run Anadolu Agency, alleged that the SDF was using “innocent civilians as human shields” in the Tishrin Dam region, characterizing this behavior as a violation of international law, human rights, and humanitarian standards.
Turkey regards the SDF as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it and several other nations classify as a terrorist organization. Since 2016, Turkey has conducted numerous cross-border operations targeting the PKK. Despite this, the SDF maintains an alliance with the United States in the ongoing fight against the Islamic State in Syria.
The Turkish government has consistently threatened to initiate a new military campaign unless Syrian Kurdish forces disarm.
