Highlights 23-24.01.26

📌15 Days Ceasefire Extension
Today, Saturday January 24, the original ceasefire officially ends. All day, people have been observing the situation tense to see what will happen next. Throughout the day various claims have been circulating, on the one hand that the ceasefire would be extended, on the other that the STG does not agree with an extension. Finally it was made official that the ceasefire is extended for 15 days to transfer ISIS prisoners out of Syria, and with pressure on AANES to integrate into the Syrian state.
So far, some 150 mid/high-level ISIS prisoners have been transferred by the US from AANES to Iraq. Bagdad urges European state to repatriate their nationals.
Despite, STG forces continues to violate the ceasefire agreement including further attacks and preparatory military movement, with heavy military build up around the city of Hasakah.

📌Dire Situation in Kobanê
Because of the siege of Kobanê there is a growing shortage of food, water and fuel in the city. Additionally, the city got covered in snow. Heyva Sor reports 5 children have died in these harsh conditions. Heyva sor submitted an urgent appeal to the UN and the AANES made a call for humanitarian aid as well. UN official Farhan Haq is in contact with the STG to potentially send humanitarian aid, the UN also stated it wants to do more assesments of the situation. Until now no humanitarian aid has come to Kobanê.
On the 23rd it was reported that an SDF convoy reached Kobanê, with no further details of size known. In Kobane region and elsewhere, many residents of NES were internally displaced and seek shelter in the cities still under AANES governance.

📌Attacks on Kurdish Demonstrations in Europe
At a demonstration in Antwerp 6 people were injured, of which 2 heavily, because of a knife attack, all are in the hospital. Kurdish sources report that the perpetrators were salafists. In Hannover, a young man departing a demonstration carrying a YPG flag too has been stabbed. Outside of direct attacks, there have been many provocations made by outsiders attempting to de-rail the Kurdish demonstrations across European cities.

📌International Support for Rojava
In many countries, in different shapes and forms, support for Rojava is growing. In addition to demonstrations and actions there are also many organizations and politicians voicing their concerns. Basque trade union ELA expressed their solidarity and denounced the European silence. Activists of Abya Yala came together in Bogota, discussed and planned a week of action. A Catalan MP made a speech in parliament to draw attention to the issue, an MP of the Uruguayan parliament also took this issue up in a speech. At least 10 members of the European Parliament from various countries raised the issue. Some Druze leaders have also expressed their support.